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NOAA’s Hurricane Hunter Squad: More Than Meets the Eye

Go Gulf States staff — Thu, 26 Sep 2024 22:15:00 +0000

As we hold our breath and hang on tight for our Gulf Coast friends in the path of Hurricane Helene, let’s take some comfort in knowing that NOAA Hurricane Hunters are on their side. This quick glance at the history of this part of the NOAA Corps shows how the aviators and scientists who work on the world’s most innovative weather fleet fly on both a razor’s edge and the leading edge of technology. – Editor

The howling winds, blinding rain, and violent updrafts of a hurricane are incredibly dangerous from the ground – but imagine flying a plane directly into the eye of the storm. In order to collect life-saving data and information, NOAA pilots, planes and researchers fly into the world’s worst weather. Hurricane Hunters pilot specially-equipped aircraft into developing hurricanes, risking their lives to track these treacherous storms.

Data collected by the agency’s high-flying meteorological stations help forecasters make accurate predictions during a hurricane. These predictions help hurricane researchers achieve a better understanding of storm processes, improving their forecast models.

On September 11, 1961, Hurricane Carla made landfall on the coast of eastern Texas, causing torrential rains and extreme wind gusts. Known as the most intense and damaging hurricane to ever hit Texas, Hurricane Carla is historically significant for another reason: It was the first tropical cyclone to have its entire life history recorded by research flights. Throughout its evolution as a tropical depression, cyclone, and eventual hurricane, Weather Bureau aircraft flew investigatory missions into the storm and tracked its growing intensity and the conditions of the atmosphere.

The meteorological data collected during the first few years of flights helped scientists worldwide gain a better understanding of hurricanes, the atmosphere, and how the two interact.

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Stalking the Elusive Orchid: Florida Boasts the Flower’s Greatest – yet Endangered – Diversity

Go Gulf States staff — Tue, 06 Aug 2024 12:15:00 +0000

Photo by Jason Matthew Walker

The ”birder of orchids,” Roger Hammer displays a photograph at his home in Homestead of him and Marjory Stoneman Douglas. Roger was awarded the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Award from the Dade Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society in 1982. This work is licensed under CC BY–NC–ND with minor edits for style. – Editor

It was September 1975. Roger Hammer packed his camera, six canteens of water, two compasses, an Army jungle hammock, dried fruit, beef jerky, and other light rations before he headed to the Everglades in his Volkswagen van.

He drove 90 miles from his home in Homestead to Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park, home to 50 native orchid species. That’s about half of Florida’s orchid diversity and a fourth of the species in the U.S. and Canada.

But Roger, then 32, was looking for just one: Lepanthopsis melanantha, the tiny orchid.

”There it is!”

He had read about it, but few if any botanists had seen firsthand the flower’s delicate purple-red blooms. They are extremely rare, found primarily in hard-to-access recesses of the swamp, he recalls reading.

He parked his van, stepped outside, and proceeded to hike for five days. Along the way, he stumbled across 30 orchid species. Trudging through a swamp is tiring, it turns out, so Roger took a seat on a pop ash tree stump to rest and enjoy a granola bar. As he munched, he looked over his shoulder, and like a ghost, there it was: a tiny orchid with tiny burgundy petals.

“I went, ‘Oh my god. There it is,’” he remembers.

Chasing Orchids

Roger, now 79, has continued to spend much of his time chasing down and photographing the state’s most elusive flora. Florida alone boasts the greatest diversity of orchids in the continental U.S., but today, three-fourths of its orchids are listed as endangered or threatened. Humans and their insatiable poaching appetite for the rare flowers are putting Florida’s last remaining species at unprecedented risk, and climate change is only making matters worse, as are sea-level rise, saltwater intrusion, heat waves, and urban sprawl.

But Roger has done much more for the orchids than take their beauty shots and publish them across more than eight guidebooks.

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Twists of Fate: How Hollywood Inspires Generations of Meteorologists

Go Gulf States staff — Mon, 29 Jul 2024 14:09:00 +0000

A ticket from a 1996 screening of the movie, “Twister,” superimposed over a tornado blowing through a large field. Photo: NOAA Heritage

Tornadoes are as much a part of hurricane season as hurricanes. The cruel 1-2 punch of post-storm twister spin-offs is something most of us would like to not think about. While the topography is very different, tornado reality is something that the coast shares with our Tornado Alley neighbors. Speaking of twister spin-offs, the current Hollywood hit, ‘Twisters’ involved NOAA tornado experts behind the scenes to to make the science as accurate and realistic as possible. NOAA logos, props and staffers as unpaid extras are visible throughout. This story – about how films like these stoke interest in weather science – is but one part of an excellent collection of tornado stories on the agency’s site. – Editor

This summer, a new blockbuster features severe weather as the ultimate super-villain. Tornadoes and tornado researchers play huge roles in the script of the new movie, Twisters, with a young woman facing both her fear of storms and her fear of miscalculating data as she follows dangerous cloud formations alongside a brash and handsome celebrity storm chaser.

The movie, released by Universal Studios on July 19, 2024, is a kind of homage to the 1996 movie, Twister. The original also mixed science, romance, and bad weather with a plot focused on two storm-chasing researchers on the brink of divorce who are forced to work together to collect novel data inside a tornado.

The 1996 movie has become a classic and is sometimes credited for increasing enrollment at some meteorology schools such as the one at the University of Oklahoma.

Keli Pirtle, a public affairs officer supporting NOAA’s tornado experts says that the first Twister movie influenced a lot of people’s careers. Nationally, bachelors degrees in meteorology increased by 47% from 1994 to 2004 and more than doubled by 2007. (Years later, critics even expressed concern that there weren’t enough jobs for all the fresh graduates.) offsite link

Some speculate that the new movie may eventually have the same impact as the 1996 movie.

Pirtle, who grew up in Norman, Oklahoma, was early in her own communications career when the first movie arrived in the mid-1990s. A few years later she would transition into the job supporting NOAA in Norman, including the National Severe Storms Laboratory and the Storm Prediction Center, helping communicate about the science there ever since.

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🆘 🤲 Give ’Til It Helps: The Gulf Begins to Recover from Hurricane Beryl

Go Gulf States staff — Mon, 08 Jul 2024 18:00:00 +0000

Beryl makes landfall on Jul 8, 2024 – Sandwich RGB image Via NOAA in the Public Domain

After causing calamitous damage across the Caribbean as a Category 5 storm, record-breaking Hurricane Beryl diminished to Tropical Storm status then regained strength overnight, and hit the Texas Coast in the early hours of July 8 as at Category 1 hurricane.

It’s the second named storm of 2024 and the earliest-forming Cat 5 hurricane on record within a calendar year!

While Hurricane Beryl hit Matagorda County, Texas as a Cat 1, it fortunately weakened to a Tropical Storm as it headed up Texas and beyond. Even at this strength, however, damage will be considerable. Relief efforts are underway. Over 2 million folks in the Houston area alone are without power, rubble needs clearing, supplies need distributing, and structures will need repairs. Click through the links provided to learn how you can help.

THE FOLLOWING ORGANIZATIONS ARE CURRENTLY ENGAGED IN PROVIDING ASSISTANCE
PLEASE CONSIDER SUPPORTING THESE RESCUE AND RELIEF EFFORTS

Team Rubicon USA

Team Rubicon is a veteran-led, boots-on-the-ground, hands-on humanitarian operation that serves global communities before, during, and after disasters and crises. TR focuses on three areas of impact: Disaster Response, from mitigation to immediate response and recovery; Rebuild, to maintain the fabric of communities through resilient building methods; and International, providing emergent and surge medical services, WASH, and disaster risk reduction.

Team Rubicon Updates

Cajun Navy

The Cajun Navy is a network of volunteers that provides assistance to vulnerable populations impacted by natural disaster. Their Facebook page (linked below) will be the best place to find current information regarding supplies needed (diapers, canned goods, etc.) and real-time urgent needs, for whatever is required to complete their search and rescue efforts.

Cajun Navy Updates

Gulf Coast Rescue Squad

This organization provides search and rescue services for Brazoria County boaters in distress and other water-related occurrences such as recovering drowning victims. GCRS is an all-volunteer organization on call 24 hours per day, 365 days per year, providing free service to persons in Brazoria County, Texas.

GCRS Updates

East Harris County Empowerment Council

The East Harris County Disaster Needs Assessment is now open. This organization serves as a channel, networking with direct assistance and disaster relief organizations in the Houston area. They assist folks in crisis by evaluating the level of need, determining the most efficient path to resources, and connecting people with these assets.

EHCTX Updates

Catholic Charities of Galveston-Houston

Catholic Charities is providing limited, short-term financial assistance to Texas families who experienced loss from the storm. Disaster food boxes, cleaning supplies, and water are available while supplies last at locations listed on their website (use above link).

CCGHTX is distributing relief resources at their headquarters, Sat., July 13. Click to learn more.

Their previous efforts during recent year’s Gulf storms have effectively lit up their extensive collaborative networks across many faith communities in the region. Learn more and donate.

CCGHTX Updates

Brazoria County Off-Road Recovery

This volunteer off-road recovery concern is the official community automotive rescue group of Brazoria County. Member supported, BCOR is a Texas Nonprofit, a 501c(3) exempt organization, and does not charge the public for the services it provides. From rescuing vehicles stuck in the sand, mud, water, to helping with dead batteries or transport, BCOR is known across Brazoria County as the good guys that are there to help those in need.

BCOR Updates

Fleet of Angels

Fleet of Angels is an award-winning nonprofit that helps equines in crisis due to natural disasters and other major emergencies. They are currently offering temporary assistance for equines directly affected by Beryl. They help with funds for emergency hay, critical supplies, and vet care.

Fleet of Angels Updates

Crisis Cleanup

Check out this small group of volunteers, only open for large disasters. Crisis Cleanup is a coordination website for relief agencies whose goal is to connect survivors who need help to volunteer groups who can help with basic cleanup such as small tree removal, tarping, muck-out (removing mud, drywall, and debris from a home), hauling debris to the curb, etc.

Crisis Cleanup Updates

Thanks so much for helping in the wake of this record-breaking Gulf storm. Remember, every little bit helps! Do you have a favorite governmental, faith-based, or local and independent relief organization? Please let us know, and send us a note on our Contact Form. 🌊

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Lessons From the Marjories: Watching Hurricane Season from the Front Porch

Go Gulf States staff — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 14:00:00 +0000

Photos from State Archives of Florida and Leslie K. Poole

Editor’s Note from The Marjorie: Florida has a long history of havoc-wreaking storms. However, most longtime Florida residents don’t start panicking until late August and September when the worst storms are most likely to hit. As changing climate conditions cause hurricanes to get larger and move more slowly, author Leslie K. Poole examines the relationships between Floridians and these massive storms.

This essay is part of the The Marjorie’s contributor series Lessons from the Marjories, where Florida women explore connections between the three Marjories and their own lives. This work is licensed under CC BY–NC–ND with minor edits for style. – Editor

There is a game I play with friends in which I challenge them to name the “seasons” in Florida without using official calendar designations. It is always good fun. There’s Love Bug Season in May and September when cars may be blackened by amorous insects. Leaf Fall in February when the oaks seemingly drop their leaves overnight to make way for new growth. Everyone is familiar with Snowbird Season when roads and beaches are jammed with people fleeing cold climes, many proudly displaying what must be agonizing sunburns. Orange Blossom Season brings wafts of almost overpowering sweetness…and another irritant during the year-round Allergy Season.

And then there’s Hurricane Season

Officially lasting from June 1 to November 30, Hurricane Season is the time of year when television announcers repeatedly advise everyone to buy bottled water, canned food, and batteries, leaving me suspiciously wondering if they have grocery store stockholdings. The nightly weather reporter eagerly sizes up storms crossing the Atlantic Ocean and the likelihood of them forming into something dangerous. I attentively watch as they depict swirling systems coded by number for wind strength.

The state has a long history of havoc-wreaking storms. The 1928 storm killed more than two thousand people when it caused Lake Okeechobee to overflow. Zora Neale Hurston writes of this tragedy in Their Eyes Were Watching God. Then there was the 1935 Labor Day storm that killed highway workers in the Keys. And more recently, Hurricane Andrew tore through Homestead in 1992. However, most longtime Florida residents don’t start panicking until late August and September when the worst storms are most likely to hit. Changing climate conditions are making me more wary every year as hurricanes get larger and move more slowly, increasing their capacity for damage.

Today we are blessed to have electronic gadgetry that charts potential storms long before they reach our coasts. State residents have plenty of time to stock up, buy ice, and get the heck out of a storm’s path. But just imagine how old backwoods pioneers dealt with the storms that thundered ashore seemingly – and literally – out of the blue. And since I’m a fourth-generation Floridian, I’m talking about my people.

Two of Florida’s most beloved authors – Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings and Patrick D. Smith – penned memorable descriptions of hurricanes, offering glimpses into what these rural folks endured.

Rawlings, writing from her home in the north-central Florida village of Cross Creek, described hurricanes in three of my favorite pieces. The short story “Jacob’s Ladder” begins and ends with such storms, framing the hardships endured by Florry and Mart. “The yellow-grayness of the sky was tinged with green in the west,” Rawlings wrote. “The roar of the wind was a train thundering nearer and nearer.”

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Turtle Power! Learn About the Real Heroes on a Half Shell During World Sea Turtle Month

Go Gulf States staff — Mon, 10 Jun 2024 14:31:00 +0000

Beach goers all along the Gulf know that early Summer is a great time for turtle-watching and turtle events. It’s also an important time to watch out for turtle mamas making nests to lay many, many eggs. The University of Florida’s Archie Carr Center for Sea Turtle Research is the place to be to learn even more about these fabulous flippered friends on World Sea Turtle Day! – Editor

The University of Florida – Thompson Earth Systems Institute is celebrating sea turtles throughout June in collaboration with the Florida Museum and the Archie Carr Center for Sea Turtle Research. Celebrate World Sea Turtle Day with the Florida Museum on June 16, and explore more Sea Turtle resources by clicking through the link.

Why are Sea Turtles Important?

Sea turtles have been navigating our oceans for over 100 million years. They play a crucial role in maintaining the health of marine ecosystems. Sea Turtles contribute to ecosystem health in the following ways:

Sea turtles contribute to the health of seagrass beds and coral reefs, providing habitat for a diverse range of marine life.
As both predators and prey, sea turtles are integral to marine food webs.
Sea turtles hold cultural, spiritual, and economic importance in many coastal communities worldwide.
Sea turtles attract Turtle-watching tourists to Florida’s beaches, contributing to the local economy.

Did you know that 90% percent of all sea turtles in the United States lay their eggs on Florida beaches? Therefore, the Sunshine State an extremely important place for the conservation of these endangered creatures! Sea turtles are a keystone species. They have been a vital component of healthy and balanced marine and coastal ecosystems for over 100 million years. In fact, sea turtle health can be a very good indication of ecosystem health.

Florida’s beaches and waters are home to five out of only seven sea turtle species in the entire world!

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How the 2024 and 2017 Solar Eclipses Differ – Totality Spoiler: 2024 = More

Go Gulf States staff — Thu, 28 Mar 2024 15:35:00 +0000

While the Texas Gulf Coast won’t have quite as perfect a vantage point for the April Total Solar Eclipse as it did for the October 2023 Annular Solar Eclipse, the region will be close enough to the path of Totality to experience quite a show. The last Total Solar Eclipse that crossed the U.S. happened in 2017. This year, things will be a bit different. NASA breaks down the differences between the 2017 and the upcoming Eclipse. – Editor

On April 8, the Moon’s shadow will sweep across the United States, as millions will view a total solar eclipse. For many, preparing for this event brings memories of the magnificent total solar eclipse on Aug. 21, 2017.

In April, totality will last longer than it did in 2017. Seven years ago, the longest period of totality was experienced near Carbondale, Illinois, at 2 minutes, 42 seconds.

For the upcoming eclipse, totality will last up to 4 minutes, 28 seconds, in an area about 25 minutes northwest of Torreón, Mexico. As the eclipse enters Texas, totality will last about 4 minutes, 26 seconds at the center of the eclipse’s path.

This year, 99% of people who reside in the United States will be able to see the total or at least a partial eclipse from where they live.

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GulfCorps: An Investment in Conservation, Communities, and Coastal Habitats

Go Gulf States staff — Mon, 18 Mar 2024 14:05:00 +0000

Back in the day, when our kid was in college, we enjoyed following his adventures in AmeriCorps. The more we learned, the more we supported its mission of investing in community projects across the U.S. – not only benefiting those localities, but also providing AmeriCorps members invaluable skills and connection with others. GulfCorps has similar a similar mission while specifically focusing on the Gulf Coast. We’re excited to see how it develops and becomes part of the coastal conservation conversation. – Editor

From 2016-2021, NOAA received $9.2 million from the RESTORE Act to administer the GulfCorps program alongside federal and state partners on the RESTORE Council.

GulfCorps invests in the people along the Gulf of Mexico coast through a conservation corps program producing sustainable and lasting benefits to the environment, economy, and communities. The program provides short-term (less than one year) employment for local young adults, including veterans and those from underserved communities, as well as skills training and experience in jobs supporting local workforce development in the growing habitat restoration field.

GulfCorps trains and places participants to work on projects benefiting coastal habitat like wetlands, coastal forests, bogs, savannahs, oyster reefs, rivers, and streams. Through this work, GulfCorps participants receive field training that promotes career growth and future employment opportunities in conservation work. Projects include:

Remove invasive species
Plant native vegetation
Stabilize shorelines
Repair hydrology
Restore sensitive habitats
Support sustainable fisheries
Contribute to the recovery of protected resources
Other management actions in the Gulf of Mexico region

GulfCorps employed more than 500 participants from 2017-2023 in coastal habitat conservation and restoration in Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas. Collectively during the first five years, these young adults completed more than 330,000 hours of service. They performed a range of conservation and restoration projects on local, state, and federal lands and waters positively impacting 22,500 acres of habitat.

From 2023-2025, the GulfCorps program anticipates engaging an additional 90 participants, and restoring more than 3,200 acres of habitat.

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Biloxi Main Steet’s Grillin’ on the Green Is Another Plastic-Free Success Story

Go Gulf States staff — Tue, 05 Mar 2024 22:30:37 +0000

Through their partnership with Plastic Free Gulf Coast, Biloxi Main Street Association has committed to Skip the Plastic wherever and whenever they can. Each year, coinciding with the city’s St. Patrick’s Day parade, the association’s annual Grillin’ on the Green BBQ event is now a whole lot greener! – Editor

Every year on Saint Patrick’s Day Biloxi Main Street hosts Grillin’ on the Green. BBQ teams from all over the region come to the Biloxi Town Green to compete for prize money and serve up everything from chicken, ribs, and brisket to seafood. Thanks to the collaboration of Biloxi Main Street and Plastic Free Gulf Coast, the annual Grillin’ on the Green became the first major public event in Biloxi to start the move away from plastic.

Instead of using the traditional Styrofoam clamshell containers to serve their BBQ to hungry judges and customers, each team was provided with Biodegradable Bagasse Clamshell containers. This one switch prevented over 2,000 pieces of Styrofoam from being used and gave everyone the opportunity to try something new and provide valuable feedback about the product.

The response from participants was overwhelmingly positive!

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The Perfect Valentine: Send Your Love a Symbolic Adopt-a-Manatee!

Go Gulf States staff — Thu, 18 Jan 2024 17:10:00 +0000

It’s that time of year, lovers! Don’t get caught up in that post-New Year’s Mardi Gras blurrrrr without first figuring out what you are going to do for that other important upcoming holiday: Valentine’s! Adopt-a-Manatee’s got you covered. Even if you have more than one beloved who is expecting something special from you… player! – Editor

Celebrate love in a unique and selfless way this Valentine’s Day with the adorable manatee, Florida’s beloved gentle giant. Save the Manatee Club continues to works to address the growing threats to manatees and their aquatic habitat. The club’s ultimate success, however, depends upon the involvement of caring, compassionate people as partners in their efforts. You can help manatees by spreading the love!

This Valentine’s Day, show your love for the special people in your life by symbolically adopting a real, living manatee for them from Save the Manatee Club. With over 30 unique manatees available for adoption, this heartfelt gift is sure to make a lasting impression. Each adoption package includes a personalized adoption certificate. Plus, each has an individual biography of a real, living manatee that has been studied by research teams in Florida.

All You Need Is Love!

Among the remarkable manatees available for adoption is Zelda. This lovely female manatee easily identified by the scars on her back that resemble the letter “Z.” These scars are a result of unfortunate collisions with boats, serving as a poignant reminder to boat slowly, especially around shallow seagrass beds, and to not alter the manatees’ natural behavior by giving them food or water.

Symbolic manatee adoptions start at just $25 and come with a one-year Save the Manatee Club membership. Plus, an award-winning manatee wall calendar, while supplies last! Become a member, and you will receive a quarterly newsletter, The Manatee Zone, providing updates on adoptable manatees and important manatee information. For a limited time, adoptions at the $35 level or above will also include a special gift.

By participating in the Adopt-A-Manatee® program, you are directly supporting Save the Manatee Club in its mission to protect all manatees and their habitat. Funds raised will contribute to emergency rescue, rehabilitation, and release efforts, as well as education and public awareness programs. Additionally, the funds will aid in addressing the ongoing manatee mortality crisis on Florida’s east coast. Make a difference this Valentine’s Day. Give a gift that truly matters. Adopt a real, living manatee from Save the Manatee Club and help protect these gentle giants and their environment.

Please order by Wednesday, January 31, 2024, for delivery by Valentine’s Day. Manatee adoptions also make a great last-minute gift, as personalized adoption certificates can be emailed immediately!

All you need is love!

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