Warm Season Lightning Distributions over the Northern Gulf of Mexico Coast and Their Relation to Synoptic-Scale and Mesoscale Environments

2005 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 415-438 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica R. Smith ◽  
Henry E. Fuelberg ◽  
Andrew I. Watson
Keyword(s):  
Gulf Of Mexico ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Gulf Coast ◽  
Warm Season ◽  
Sea Breeze ◽  
Northern Gulf Of Mexico ◽  
Low Level ◽  
Lake Charles ◽  
Northern Gulf Coast ◽  
Mexico Coast

Abstract Cloud-to-ground lightning data from the National Lightning Detection Network are used to create a warm season (May–September) lightning climatology for the northern Gulf of Mexico coast for the 14-yr period 1989–2002. Each day is placed into one of five flow regimes based on the orientation of the low-level flow with respect to the coastline. This determination is made using the vector mean 1000–700-hPa wind data at Lake Charles and Slidell, Louisiana. Flash densities are calculated for daily, hourly, and nocturnal periods. Spatial patterns of composite 24-h and nocturnal flash density indicate that lightning decreases in an east-to-west direction over the region. Flash densities for the 24-h period are greatest over land near the coast, with relative maxima located near Houston, Texas; Lake Charles, Baton Rouge, and New Orleans, Louisiana; Biloxi, Mississippi; and Mobile, Alabama. Flash densities during the nocturnal period are greatest over the coastal waters. Lightning across the northern Gulf coast is closely related to the prevailing low-level synoptic flow, which controls the sea breeze, the dominant forcing mechanism during the warm season. Southwest flow, the most unstable and humid of the five regimes, exhibits the most flashes. In this case, sea-breeze-induced convection is located slightly inland from the coast. Northeast flow, the driest and most stable of the regimes, exhibits the least amount of lightning. The large-scale flow restricts the sea breeze to near the coastline. Geographic features and local mesoscale circulations are found to affect lightning across the region. Geographic features include lakes, bays, marshes, swamps, and coastline orientations. Thermal circulations associated with these features interact with the main sea breeze to produce complex lightning patterns over the area.

The evolution of large scale crescentic bars on the northern Gulf of Mexico coast

2011 ◽  
Vol 285 (1-4) ◽  
pp. 46-58 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rumana Reaz Arifin ◽  
Andrew B. Kennedy
Keyword(s):  
Gulf Of Mexico ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Northern Gulf Of Mexico ◽  
Mexico Coast

Spatiotemporal Variability in ΔR in the Northern Gulf of Mexico, USA

Radiocarbon ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 59 (2) ◽  
pp. 343-353 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carla S Hadden ◽  
Alexander Cherkinsky
Keyword(s):  
Gulf Of Mexico ◽  
Gulf Coast ◽  
Spatiotemporal Variability ◽  
Major Influence ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Spatial And Temporal Scales ◽  
Northern Gulf Of Mexico ◽  
Northern Gulf Coast ◽  
Gulf Coast Region ◽  
Coast Region

AbstractStrombus alatus and Busycon sinistrum are large marine gastropods that are frequently recovered from archaeological contexts in southeastern North America. We previously proposed a reservoir age offset (ΔR) for B. sinistrum from the northern Gulf of Mexico region based on known-age pre-bomb 20th-century specimens. We also reported significant variability in radiocarbon both among and within S. alatus specimens, which precluded a reliable estimation of ΔR for this taxon. In this paper, we present a complementary data set from archaeological contexts to re-evaluate marine reservoir effects in the northern Gulf Coast region at multiple spatial and temporal scales. The new data set consists of a total of 13 14C age determinations from well-associated marine (B. sinistrum and S. alatus) and terrestrial (Odocoileus virginianus) samples from a closed context at the Bayou St. John (1BA21) archaeological site. We suggest a slightly updated ∆R value of –2±53 14C yr for late Holocene-age B. sinistrum from the northern Gulf Coast region. S. alatus, and possibly other species of strombid conchs, are poor candidates for 14C dating due to the highly variable 14C content observed within and among specimens. Though subregional variability in inputs of 14C-depleted waters is likely, life-history factors related to ontogenetic niche and/or habitat shifts appear to be a major influence in shell 14C for S. alatus.

scholarly journals Investigation of Atmospheric Rivers Impacting the Pigeon River Basin of the Southern Appalachian Mountains

2018 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 283-299 ◽  
Author(s):  
Douglas K. Miller ◽  
David Hotz ◽  
Jessica Winton ◽  
Lukas Stewart
Keyword(s):  
North Carolina ◽  
River Basin ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Large Fraction ◽  
Appalachian Mountains ◽  
Warm Season ◽  
Atmospheric Rivers ◽  
Southern Appalachian Mountains ◽  
Low Level ◽  
Southern Appalachian

Abstract Rainfall observations in the Pigeon River basin of the southern Appalachian Mountains over a 5-yr period (2009–14) are examined to investigate the synoptic patterns responsible for downstream flooding events as observed near Knoxville, Tennessee, and Asheville, North Carolina. The study is designed to address the hypothesis that atmospheric rivers (ARs) are primarily responsible for the highest accumulation periods observed by the gauge network and that these periods correspond to events having a societal hazard (flooding). The upper 2.5% (extreme) and middle 33% (normal) rainfall events flagged using the gauge network observations showed that half of the heaviest rainfall cases were associated with an AR. Of those extreme events having an AR influence, over 73% had a societal hazard defined as minor-to-major flooding at the USGS river gauge located in Newport, Tennessee, or flooding observations for locations near the Tennessee and North Carolina border reported in the Storm Data publication. Composites of extreme AR-influenced events revealed a synoptic pattern consisting of a highly amplified slow-moving positively tilted trough, suggestive of the anticyclonic Rossby wave breaking scenario that sometimes precedes hydrological events of high impact. Composites of extreme non-AR events indicated a large-scale weather pattern typical of a warm season scenario in which an anomalous low-level cyclone, cut off far from the primary upper-tropospheric jet, was located in the southeastern United States. AR events without a societal hazard represented a large fraction (75%–88%) of all ARs detected during the study period. Synoptic-scale weather patterns of these events were fast moving and had weak low-level atmospheric dynamics.

Occupational stressors, social support, and perceived stress among shrimp fishermen of the Northern Gulf of Mexico coast

1996 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 401-420 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. David Johnson ◽  
Catherine A. Riordan ◽  
J. Stephen Thomas ◽  
Cecelia Formichella
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Gulf Of Mexico ◽  
Perceived Stress ◽  
Occupational Stressors ◽  
Northern Gulf Of Mexico ◽  
Mexico Coast

Mitigating Impacts of Natural Hazards on Fishery Ecosystems

2008 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Natural Hazards ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Gulf Coast ◽  
Commercial Fishing ◽  
Single Beam ◽  
Coastal Bays ◽  
Fishing Vessels ◽  
Northern Gulf Coast ◽  
Hurricanes Katrina And Rita ◽  
Survey Planning

<em>Abstract</em>.—Hurricanes Katrina and Rita critically impacted the northern Gulf Coast. Shrimping and other commercial fishing industries saw large scale destruction of vessels and shore based facilities in addition to a deposition of large amounts of debris on fishing grounds from Alabama to Louisiana. In 2006, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA’s) Office of Coast Survey and Office of Response and Restoration started the implementation of a large scale hazards survey program to map the coastal waters of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. The first phase of the effort involved surveying more than 600 square nautical miles of coastal bays and nearshore waters with sidescan and single beam acoustic sonar. Survey findings are posted each week on a NOAA public Web site displaying the location of each hazard and debris found. The survey work is also updating the NOAA navigation charts for coastal areas that are used heavily by fishing vessels, the navigation industry, and recreational boaters. Survey planning and implementation is conducted cooperatively with the marine fisheries agencies of Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana.

scholarly journals Factors affecting migratory bird routes over the Gulf of Mexico

1994 ◽  
Vol 4 (2-3) ◽  
pp. 251-262 ◽  
Author(s):  
John H. Rappole ◽  
Mario A. Ramos
Keyword(s):  
Gulf Of Mexico ◽  
Central America ◽  
Gulf Coast ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Migratory Bird ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Migratory Flight ◽  
Prevailing Wind Direction ◽  
Northern Gulf Coast ◽  
The Tropics

SummaryOver half of the 332 migratory bird species that breed in North America and winter in the tropics are affected by the obstacle to migratory flight presented by the Gulf of Mexico. Landbird migration in the vicinity of the Gulf is considered from an historical perspective, and in light of netting and observational data from the western Gulf coast. A trans-Gulf crossing from the northern Gulf coast to, or over, Yucatan is the most commonly followed fall route for eastern Nearctic migrants that winter in Central America. The spring route for these species is different, involving a more westerly trans–Gulf course for some individuals, and a circum–Gulf route for others. Prevailing wind direction and the probability of meeting turbulence over the Gulf are suggested as the main selective factors affecting route form for Gulf–area migrants.

scholarly journals A novel method for increasing water-yields, pine forests of the Northern Gulf of Mexico, USA 

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christy Ann Crandall ◽  
Joseph St. Peter ◽  
Paul Medley ◽  
Jason Drake ◽  
Jordan Vernon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gulf Of Mexico ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Gulf Coast ◽  
Soil Health ◽  
Basal Area ◽  
Pine Forests ◽  
Water Yield ◽  
World Population ◽  
Initial Water ◽  
Northern Gulf Of Mexico

Abstract. With a burgeoning world population that is expected to reach 10 billion by 2050, 30 % more than today, there is an urgent need to harness available water resources to support regions across the world. This study introduces a new method to identify, prioritize, and select areas for pine basal area reduction to maximize water yields in pine forests along the Northern Gulf of Mexico, USA. The method, demonstrated in the Apalachicola Region of Northwest Florida, an area covered by dense vegetation and pine plantation forests, has experienced freshwater loss due to increased upstream water demand, climate change, and past forest management practices. Potential initial water-yield gains were: 1) 469 m3 d−1 if all pine basal areas were reduced from current to a maximum of 18 m2 ha−1, and 53,400 m3 d−1 if pine basal areas were reduced from current to a maximum of 7 m2 ha−1 for the Apalachicola Region. The method identifies watersheds mainly along the Apalachicola and other rivers and near the Gulf coast that have the greatest potential to increase water yields. Increasing forest water yields translates to increased freshwater availability and improved forest and soil health, water quality, and ecosystem function, services, and resilience, as well as socioeconomic outcomes for communities and people who rely on ecotourism and fisheries for their livelihoods. This method will empower forest managers to focus scarce resources in targeted areas to maximize water-resource benefits per resource investment. Although demonstrated in the Apalachicola Region, the method is easily transferable throughout other pine forests of the Northern Gulf Coast Region. This scientifically sound method is repeatable, scalable, and easily upgraded and adapted as newer, higher resolution datasets become available and relationships between forest metrics, evapotranspiration, and water yields are improved.

Gulf-wide data synthesis for restoration planning: Utility and limitations

Shore & Beach ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 23-33
Author(s):  
Leland Moss ◽  
Tim Carruthers ◽  
Harris Bienn ◽  
Adrian Mcinnis ◽  
Alyssa Dausman
Keyword(s):  
Gulf Of Mexico ◽  
Gulf Coast ◽  
Coastal Zone Management ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Centers Of Excellence ◽  
Northern Gulf Of Mexico ◽  
Restoration Planning ◽  
Community Benefits ◽  
Zone Management ◽  
Data Layers

Multiple funding mechanisms support restoration across the northern Gulf of Mexico. To maximize environmental, societal, and financial benefits of these investments, best use of available science is needed to inform project prioritization and planning processes. Synthesizing available data across the northern Gulf of Mexico can provide information on potential threats to, and benefits from, projects or suites of projects. To achieve this, subject matter experts from Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas were identified with recommendations from each of the RESTORE Act Centers of Excellence. These experts provided known sources of Gulf-wide data and recommended metrics that would be most informative, resulting in 40 threat, 19 habitat and 10 community primary data layers. Two tessellated geospatial hexagon grids were generated to provide uniform coverage that encompassed a 25-mile buffer of the Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA) boundary at a spatial grid resolution of 100 km2 and 1 km2. The two resultant grid domains included all counties in the five Gulf states determined by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) as contributing to coastal watersheds. The varying grid resolutions allowed for data to be spatially visualized both at a broad Gulf-wide scale on the 100 km2 grid as well as at a regional and project level scale on the 1 km2 grid. The data layers were synthesized into combined layers of potential stress, potential ecological benefits, and potential community benefits. These layers support broad scale prioritization for restoration efforts, based on likelihood of success and desired outcomes. The synthesized data were discussed in the context of the five goals and four priority criteria of the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council’s (RESTORE Council) aim of using best available science (BAS) to guide future funding for restoration at large and small scales.

Structures of Different Tibetan Plateau Vortex Types

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xinyuan Feng ◽  
Changhai Liu ◽  
Guangzhou Fan ◽  
Jie Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Tibetan Plateau ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Warm Season ◽  
Symmetric System ◽  
Type I ◽  
Upper Troposphere ◽  
Low Level ◽  
Category Type ◽  
Tibetan Plateau Vortex ◽  
Low Levels

&lt;p&gt;A Tibetan Plateau vortex (TPV) is defined as a shallow cyclonic meso-&amp;#945;-scale low-pressure system that originates over the main body of the Tibetan Plateau in the warm season and presents most notably at 500 hPa. It is the main precipitation-inducing weather system over the plateau in the warm season.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Knowledge of the TPV structure is of considerable importance for understanding the generation and development mechanisms of this mesoscale system. However, our understanding of vortex structures and our ability to classify them on a physical basis is limited due to insufficient observations. The high-resolution NCEP Climate Forecast System Reanalysis (CFSR) dataset is used in the present paper to investigate the general structural features of various types of mature TPV through classification and composite structure analysis. Results indicate that the dynamic and thermodynamic structures show regional and seasonal dependency, as well as being influenced by attributes of translation, associated precipitation, and the South Asian high (SAH).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The common precipitating TPV (type I), frequently occurring in the west&amp;#8211;east-oriented zonal region between 33&amp;#176; and 36&amp;#176;N, is a notably low-level baroclinic and asymmetric system. It resides within a large-scale confluent zone and preferentially travels eastwards, potentially moving out of the plateau. The heavy rain vortex (type II) corresponds to a deep vortex circulation occurring in midsummer. The low-level baroclinic sub-category (type IIa) is associated with a low-level jet and mainly originates in the area (32&amp;#176;&amp;#8211;35&amp;#176;N, 86&amp;#176;&amp;#8211;94&amp;#176;E), preferentially moving east of 90&amp;#176;E and even away from the plateau; meanwhile, the nearly upright sub-category (type IIb), which has a cold center at low levels and a warm center at mid-upper levels, is a quasi-stationary and quasi-symmetric system favorably occurring west of 92&amp;#176;E. A western-pattern SAH exists in the upper troposphere for these two sub-categories. The springtime dry vortex in the western plateau (type III) is warm and shallow (~100 hPa deep), and zonal circulation dominates the large-scale environmental flows in the middle and upper troposphere. The precipitating vortex in the southern plateau occurring during July&amp;#8211;August (type IV) is not affected by northerly flow at low levels. It is vertically aligned and controlled by a banded SAH.&lt;/p&gt;

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