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UPI
5 hours ago
- Climate
- UPI
Defense Department opts to not end satellite data for storm forecasts
An infrared satellite image of the Atlantic Ocean shows Hurricane Dorian on Sept. 6, 2019, as a Category 2 hurricane. U.S. Navy photo via Naval Research Laboratory July 30 (UPI) -- The U.S. Defense Department won't end the dispersal of key satellite weather data on Friday as planned. One month ago, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration published a notice about the change by the U.S. Navy, effective July 1. Then NOAA said the change would be delayed by one month until Thursday. In an update posted Wednesday, the phase-out plans were pushed back one year. "The Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center (FNMOC) has announced plans to continue distribution of Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) data beyond July 31, 2025," the update said. "As a result, there will be no interruption to DMSP data delivery." With the peak hurricane season underway, forecasters with the National Weather Service, National Hurricane Center, media outlets, private meteorologists and weather watchers had expressed concern about not getting the satellite imagery. "Crisis averted," Michael Lowry, a meteorologist at the Storm Surge Unit of the National Hurricane Center, posted on Blue Sky, noting it "means our hurricane forecast tools should stay intact." A U.S. Space Force spokesperson said in a statement that the satellites and instruments are functional and that the Department of Defense will continue to use them. A U.N. Navy official told ABC News that plans were to "phase out the data as part of the Defense Department modernization effort," but pushed it back after feedback and a "way to meet modernization goals while keeping the data flowing until the sensor fails or the program formally ends in September 2026." For 40 years, the Pentagon has operated satellites for atmospheric and ocean conditions. Special Sensor Microwave Imager Sounder Sensors onboard three DMSP satellites will be turned off. The satellites gather multiple wavelengths of light, including visible, infrared and microwave, Kim Wood, an atmospheric scientist at the University of Arizona, told Scientific American. Microwaves are used to monitor hurricanes, Wood said, "because the waves are so long they get through the tops of the clouds" and help scientists to understand a storm's inner workings, especially those that occur at night. With the real-time data, hurricane experts can see where the center of a storm forms, and hence figure out the direction where it could be headed, including land. They can see when a new eyewall forms, which helps determine intensity. That was done with Hurricane Erick earlier this month in the Pacific Ocean. The Navy uses data to track conditions for its ships. "It's not an issue of funding cuts," Mark Serreze, the director of the National Snow and Ice Data Center, a federally funded research center in Colorado, told NPR. "There are cybersecurity concerns. That's what we're being told." Nevertheless, the Trump administration has been making cuts to the federal agencies with dealing with weather. The National Hurricane Center, which is overseen by NOAA, didn't expect less-accurate forecasts. "NOAA's data sources are fully capable of providing a complete suite of cutting-edge data and models that ensure the gold-standard weather forecasting the American people deserve," NOAA communications director Kim Doster told NPR. NOAA and NASA also operate satellites that are used for forecasts. The hurricane season runs from June 1 to Nov. 30 with six so far named in the Pacific and three so far in the Atlantic.
CBS News
15 hours ago
- Climate
- CBS News
NOAA will continue receiving weather data from Navy satellites after sudden reversal
Great news for weather watchers and hurricane forecasters: NOAA just confirmed it will keep getting key satellite data from the U.S. military, a sudden reversal after last month's announcement that the data would soon stop coming. This is crucial data that's super important for tracking storms — it comes from the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program, which has been quietly helping both military operations and civilian forecasts for over 50 years. Without it, some storm models could have taken a major hit. The decision comes after weeks of uncertainty, when the Defense Department unexpectedly said they might cut off access to the info due to some cybersecurity concerns. That had meteorologists worried, especially with the heart of hurricane season just about a month away — one that researchers predict will be more active than average. Luckily, a last-minute decision by the Navy's Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center means the data will keep flowing beyond the original end date: July 31, 2025. "(FNMOC) has announced plans to continue distribution of Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) data beyond July 31, 2025. As a result, there will be no interruption to DMSP data delivery and NOAA will continue to have access to data from DMSP for the duration of the Program's life span," spokesperson Erica Grow Cei told CBS News. "Crisis averted," Michael Lowry, Meteorologist at the Storm Surge Unit of the National Hurricane Center, wrote on social media. And honestly, that's what it feels like. Forecasting hurricanes is hard enough without losing one of your main data feeds right before peak season. That said, there's still some uncertainty about the bigger picture. The Trump administration is still considering cuts to NOAA and the National Weather Service. But for now, critical weather forecasting data is intact. We'll be sure to update when any additional information comes Brandt contributed to this report.
Indianapolis Star
18 hours ago
- Climate
- Indianapolis Star
Tropical Storm Keli to weaken to a tropical depression: See tracker
Hurricane Iona is not the only named storm spinning in the central Pacific hurricane basin – Tropical Storm Keli is also active, although both storms are harmlessly far from land. "The central Pacific Ocean is in the midst of an unusual tropical cyclone 'outbreak,' recording two concurrent named storms for the first time since 2015 and its first major (Category 3 or stronger) hurricane since Dora in August 2023," said WPLG-TV hurricane expert Michael Lowry in an e-mail on July 29. In an advisory issued at 11 p.m. local time on Tuesday, July 29, the National Hurricane Center said Keli was located about 605 miles south-southeast of Honolulu, Hawaii, with maximum sustained winds near 40 mph with higher gusts. Forecasters said Keli is expected to weaken to a tropical depression by late Wednesday and dissipate by Thursday while moving quickly westward during the next day or so. While eastern Pacific tropical storms and hurricanes can affect the west coast of Mexico and their remnants occasionally affect the Southwest U.S. with drenching rain, central Pacific storms usually miss all land areas, though they can sometimes affect Hawaii. This forecast track shows the most likely path of the center of the storm. It does not illustrate the full width of the storm or its impacts, and the center of the storm is likely to travel outside the cone up to 33% of the time. This forecast track shows the most likely path of the center of the storm. It does not illustrate the full width of the storm or its impacts, and the center of the storm is likely to travel outside the cone up to 33% of the time. Hurricanes are born in the tropics, above warm water. Clusters of thunderstorms can develop over the ocean when water temperatures exceed 80 degrees Fahrenheit. If conditions are right, the clusters swirl into a storm known as a tropical wave or tropical depression. A tropical depression becomes a named tropical storm once its sustained wind speeds reach 39 miles per hour. When its winds reach 74 mph, the storm officially becomes a hurricane. Delaying potentially life-saving preparations could mean waiting until it's too late. "Get your disaster supplies while the shelves are still stocked, and get that insurance checkup early, as flood insurance requires a 30-day waiting period," NOAA recommends. Contributing: Doyle Rice, USA TODAY
USA Today
a day ago
- Climate
- USA Today
A surprising 'outbreak' of tropical cyclones prowl the Pacific. What now?
The typically unremarkable Central Pacific Hurricane Basin has seen a surprising uptick in storms in late July. Both major Hurricane Iona and Tropical Storm Keli spin harmlessly far from land. The typically unremarkable central Pacific hurricane basin has seen a surprising uptick in storms in late July as both major Hurricane Iona and Tropical Storm Keli spin harmlessly far from land. "The central Pacific Ocean is in the midst of an unusual tropical cyclone 'outbreak,' recording two concurrent named storms for the first time since 2015 and its first major (Category 3 or stronger) hurricane since Dora in August 2023," said WPLG-TV hurricane expert Michael Lowry in an e-mail on July 29. Fortunately, "there is currently no immediate threat to the Hawaiian Islands from these systems," the National Weather Service in Honolulu said on July 29. While the twin storms in the central Pacific is "unusual," it's still a far cry from the all-time records set in the Atlantic and eastern Pacific basins: According to the National Hurricane Center, there have been as many as five active Atlantic tropical cyclones at once, which occurred Sept. 10-12, 1971. In the eastern Pacific, on Aug. 26, 1974, there were five simultaneous named storms of at least tropical storm strength, Phil Klotzbach, a tropical scientist at Colorado State University, told What does the activity in the Pacific mean for the US? While eastern Pacific tropical storms and hurricanes can affect the west coast of Mexico and their remnants occasionally affect the Southwest U.S. with drenching rain, central Pacific storms usually miss all land areas, though they can sometimes affect Hawaii. Tropical cyclones in the Pacific and Atlantic, while similar storms, have slightly different "seasons," with the eastern Pacific season starting two weeks earlier. Additionally, the large-scale climate factors that go into a given season's level of activity are different: For example, if forecasters predict an active Atlantic season due to La Niña, the opposite prediction is usually made for the eastern Pacific, which tends to be more active during El Niño years. As well, individual storms in each basin seldom interact directly since Central America acts as a barrier between the two basins. And while some storms can cross over between basins, usually their low-level circulation dissipates before making a complete crossover, the hurricane center said. Furthermore, hurricanes very rarely cross over from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic basin, AccuWeather reports: most of the hurricanes that have crossed over, records show, have taken a path from the Atlantic basin to the Pacific basin. Furthermore, both the central and eastern Pacific basins are separate from the Atlantic basin, which is the basin that we're most familiar with. All the basins have separate lists of names. Iona a major hurricane The Central Pacific Hurricane Center said in a July 29 advisory that Hurricane Iona had strengthened into a major hurricane several hundred miles south of the Hawaiian Islands. The storm had maximum sustained winds near 115 mph with higher gusts, making Iona a Category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson wind scale. Iona was moving toward the west and this motion is expected to continue with a gradual increase in forward speed during the next couple of days, according to hurricane center forecasters, who expect the storm to begin weakening by July 30. Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Keli had maximum sustained winds near 40 mph with higher gusts and was forecast to continue moving westward. The hurricane center says "little change in strength" is forecast. The weather service said July 29, "although the tropical cyclones are forecast to pass several hundred miles south of Hawaii over the next couple of days, isolated thunderstorms along the northern periphery of these systems may effect the far southern portion of the offshore waters. And while some short-period southeast swells may reach southern shores of Hawaii, a much larger and unrelated south swell will dominate." Where is the central Pacific hurricane basin? The central Pacific basin encompasses all storms and hurricanes that form between 140° West Longitude and the International Date Line. It's distinct from the more familiar eastern Pacific basin, with the dividing line being an invisible line in midst of the ocean (140°W). Additionally, the National Hurricane Center handles naming for storms in the eastern Pacific, while the Central Pacific Hurricane Center handles naming for storms in the central Pacific. More: Hurricane Iona has strengthened into a Category 3 storm: See path Central Pacific basin is usually rather quiet The central Pacific basin can see a wide range of activity depending on the year, according to Lowry. Generally, he said the basin observes its most active hurricane seasons during El Niño years like 2015, 2009, and 1997 when it recorded 16, 7, and 9 tropical cyclones respectively. On average, the central Pacific sees only 4 to 5 tropical cyclones (tropical depression, storms, or hurricanes) each season and around three named storms (tropical storm or hurricanes), Lowry said. NOAA predicted a less active central Pacific hurricane season in 2025, with a range of 1-4 tropical cyclones across the basin.
Washington Post
2 days ago
- Climate
- Washington Post
Pentagon reverses decision to cut off hurricane-tracking satellite data
Days before the Pentagon was set to cut off access to satellite observations that help meteorologists track hurricanes overnight, Defense Department officials told government forecasters they would continue sharing the data, after all. Defense officials initially announced in late June that they would terminate a feed of satellite data, giving meteorologists just a few days of notice. As forecasters raised concerns that any loss of data that helps detect fast-strengthening storms could increase the risks they pose to coastal communities, the Pentagon extended that timeline to July 31. But officials at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Tuesday they now expect 'no interruption' in the data their meteorologists receive through what is known as the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program, which includes microwave-based observations that reveal storm activity even through the cover of darkness. A NOAA statement said the agency expects to continue receiving the data for as long as the aged satellites — which are in the process of being replaced — keep flying. NOAA cited an announcement from the U.S. Navy's Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center reversing the termination. It was not immediately clear why the reversal was made. Navy officials could not immediately be reached for comment. Meteorologists cheered the decision, saying termination of the microwave data could have set back hurricane capabilities. Several decades ago, before such data was available, forecasters ran the risk of what they called a 'sunrise surprise,' when daylight would reveal that a storm had strengthened more than meteorologists had expected. 'Crisis averted,' hurricane expert Michael Lowry, a former National Hurricane Center senior scientist, wrote on the social media platform Bluesky. NOAA officials stressed that, while valuable, the Defense Department's microwave satellite observations represent 'a single dataset in a robust suite of hurricane forecasting and modeling tools.' Meteorologists at the Hurricane Center and National Weather Service also have access to microwave-based observations collected by NOAA's Joint Polar Satellite System. 'NOAA's data sources are fully capable of providing a complete suite of cutting-edge data and models that ensure the gold-standard weather forecasting the American people deserve,' an agency statement said. Microwave is a form of radiation best known for how it interacts with water to heat food. But as microwave radiation also naturally emanates from Earth's surface, scientists can also use it to see where and how water is distributed in the atmosphere — and detect the structure and wind patterns of hurricanes even when they are invisible to the naked eye. Meteorologists have said such microwave data is vital as more hurricanes are undergoing rapid intensification, transforming from modest and disorganized systems into major Category 5 storms within a matter of hours. Global warming, as a result of fossil fuel combustion-based emissions and the greenhouse effect, is giving storms more energy to intensify, studies have shown. The more satellites circling the planet and collecting the microwave observations, the better the chances of detecting such rapid intensification more quickly, scientists said.
