Latest news with #southeastcoast
Forbes
04-07-2025
- Climate
- Forbes
Southeast Coastal Low Develops For 4th Of July Weekend
Developing low off the Southeast coast. The National Hurricane Center is watching a low pressure system developing just off the southeastern coast of the United States. All week, forecast models indicated the possibility of a low pressure system forming to the east of Florida and potentially affecting Georgia and the Carolinas. It's looking better organized. Here's the latest information. Storm bands approaching the Southeast coast on July 4, 2025. National Weather Service radar is indicated that squall bands are starting to scrape the Georgia, South Carolina, and Florida coastlines. Satellite imagery also illustrates an emerging canopy of deep convective clouds with showers and thunderstorm about 100 miles off the northeast Florida coast. The National Hurricane Center wrote Friday morning, 'Environmental conditions are forecast to be marginally conducive for further development, and a short-lived tropical or subtropical depression could form late today or on Saturday while the system drifts northward.' Sea surface temperatures are relative warm under the storm, but the wind shear is less favorable for significant development. Whether it develops into a depression or not, the low is expected to move inland over the southeastern U.S. either Saturday night or early Sunday. The main impact of the system will be heavy rainfall, periodic lightning, and flooding. According to NOAA, an Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft will investigate the storm, currently being referred to as Invest 92L, later in the day. Current formation probabilities sit at 60 percent. Sea surface temperatures and wind shear conditions off the southeastern U.S. coast on July 4, 2025.
CNN
27-06-2025
- Science
- CNN
Lost underwater forests are returning to Sydney's coastline
Crayweed, a large, golden-brown seaweed, found along Australia's southeastern coast, plays a crucial role in ocean health. Its underwater forests capture carbon, create shelter for marine species and serve as a nursery for creatures like abalone and rock lobsters. Once widespread along Sydney's coastline, it disappeared from a 70-kilometer stretch around the 1980s, at a time when sewage was being discharged into the sea, according to Operation Crayweed. The conservation initiative, primarily run by scientists from universities and research institutes, aims to restore 60 hectares of forest in shallow rocky reef habitats. 'We're not just bringing back one species, we're building an entire ecosystem,' says Dr. Adriana Vergés, a professor of marine ecology at the University of New South Wales Sydney, and co-founder of Operation Crayweed. Improvements in sewage disposal mean the water around Sydney has become clean enough to support crayweed, according to the group, but for it to make a return, it must first be planted and then successfully reproduce. At designated restoration sites, scientists and volunteers attach healthy male and female crayweed collected from wild populations onto biodegradable mats fixed to reefs. Crayweed reproduces when male plants release sperm into the water, which fertilizes eggs from the female plant. These fertilized eggs grow into young crayweed, known as 'craybies,' which anchor to the seafloor and grow into new forests. Once established, the mats are removed, and the forest continues to grow and spread on its own. Since Operation Crayweed began over a decade ago, it has targeted 16 sites along Sydney's reefs, seven of which now have established self-sustaining crayweed populations. The restored forests cover over two hectares, and microscopic animals are already returning, according to Vergés. Three new sites, Lurline Bay, Dee Why, and South Maroubra, were added in 2024. Dee Why alone jumped from just 10 crayweed plants to 466 juvenile crayweed in a single year and by early 2025, more than 1,500 craybies had established themselves at South Maroubra, according to Operation Crayweed. 'I get a real kick out of seeing it. And now it's expanded so much that you can see it even without getting in the water,' says Vergés. 'When the tide is low, you can see the crayweed swaying as the water pulls away from the coast.' The team plans to restore 10 more sites in the next two and a half years. Dr. Prue Francis, a senior lecturer in marine science at Deakin University, who isn't part of Operation Crayweed, says the project can have a wider impact in the area. 'People often focus on the dramatic bleaching of coral reefs, but with kelp forests, the decline is quieter, until it's too late. These underwater forests are supporting a whole ecosystem. When they're gone, like in parts of Sydney where crayweed has vanished, nothing grows back,' she told CNN. 'Restoration efforts like Operation Crayweed aren't just about bringing back seaweed, they're about saving an entire web of life that depends on it,' she added. As well as planting crayweed, the team is using advanced techniques to help it survive in a world where climate change is making oceans warmer, and environmental conditions more extreme. It has successfully mixed genetic populations sourced from north and south of Sydney, which enables the restored populations to reflect the natural genetic diversity and structure of healthy existing populations — 'an important innovation,' says Vergés — and is testing whether crayweed genetics or its microbes (tiny living organisms that live on its surface) play a greater role in helping it survive rising ocean temperatures. The team is also looking to build up a 'biobank' of crayweed populations as a contingency in case they are wiped out by a heatwave. 'In Western Australia, such a marine heatwave erased entire crayweed populations. To prevent similar losses, we are turning to cryopreservation,' says Vergés. 'We collect the sperm and eggs from different populations and freeze them at ultra-low temperatures.' While other kelp species have been cryopreserved in research labs around the world, no one had successfully applied the method to crayweed, says Catalina López-Bermúdez, who is working on freezing efforts as part of her PhD at the University of Sydney. 'We don't have any genotypes or biobanks for these species,' she explained. 'So, if we lose a population, it's gone forever.' Beyond the technical challenge, the work has a deeper meaning for López-Bermúdez: 'Sometimes, as a young scientist, it's hard not to feel hopeless. But this feels like something real, something that can make a difference,' she says. 'It gives you hope.' The efforts of Operation Crayweed are part of wider global efforts to recover lost kelp habitat. The Kelp Forest Challenge aims to restore four million hectares of kelp globally by 2040. For Vergés, the success of the project is both scientific and personal. 'I swim in the ocean on weekends, and everywhere I go now, I see crayweed again,' 'she says. 'It was gone, and it never would've come back by itself.
CNN
27-06-2025
- Science
- CNN
Lost underwater forests are returning to Sydney's coastline
Crayweed, a large, golden-brown seaweed, found along Australia's southeastern coast, plays a crucial role in ocean health. Its underwater forests capture carbon, create shelter for marine species and serve as a nursery for creatures like abalone and rock lobsters. Once widespread along Sydney's coastline, it disappeared from a 70-kilometer stretch around the 1980s, at a time when sewage was being discharged into the sea, according to Operation Crayweed. The conservation initiative, primarily run by scientists from universities and research institutes, aims to restore 60 hectares of forest in shallow rocky reef habitats. 'We're not just bringing back one species, we're building an entire ecosystem,' says Dr. Adriana Vergés, a professor of marine ecology at the University of New South Wales Sydney, and co-founder of Operation Crayweed. Improvements in sewage disposal mean the water around Sydney has become clean enough to support crayweed, according to the group, but for it to make a return, it must first be planted and then successfully reproduce. At designated restoration sites, scientists and volunteers attach healthy male and female crayweed collected from wild populations onto biodegradable mats fixed to reefs. Crayweed reproduces when male plants release sperm into the water, which fertilizes eggs from the female plant. These fertilized eggs grow into young crayweed, known as 'craybies,' which anchor to the seafloor and grow into new forests. Once established, the mats are removed, and the forest continues to grow and spread on its own. Since Operation Crayweed began over a decade ago, it has targeted 16 sites along Sydney's reefs, seven of which now have established self-sustaining crayweed populations. The restored forests cover over two hectares, and microscopic animals are already returning, according to Vergés. Three new sites, Lurline Bay, Dee Why, and South Maroubra, were added in 2024. Dee Why alone jumped from just 10 crayweed plants to 466 juvenile crayweed in a single year and by early 2025, more than 1,500 craybies had established themselves at South Maroubra, according to Operation Crayweed. 'I get a real kick out of seeing it. And now it's expanded so much that you can see it even without getting in the water,' says Vergés. 'When the tide is low, you can see the crayweed swaying as the water pulls away from the coast.' The team plans to restore 10 more sites in the next two and a half years. Dr. Prue Francis, a senior lecturer in marine science at Deakin University, who isn't part of Operation Crayweed, says the project can have a wider impact in the area. 'People often focus on the dramatic bleaching of coral reefs, but with kelp forests, the decline is quieter, until it's too late. These underwater forests are supporting a whole ecosystem. When they're gone, like in parts of Sydney where crayweed has vanished, nothing grows back,' she told CNN. 'Restoration efforts like Operation Crayweed aren't just about bringing back seaweed, they're about saving an entire web of life that depends on it,' she added. As well as planting crayweed, the team is using advanced techniques to help it survive in a world where climate change is making oceans warmer, and environmental conditions more extreme. It has successfully mixed genetic populations sourced from north and south of Sydney, which enables the restored populations to reflect the natural genetic diversity and structure of healthy existing populations — 'an important innovation,' says Vergés — and is testing whether crayweed genetics or its microbes (tiny living organisms that live on its surface) play a greater role in helping it survive rising ocean temperatures. The team is also looking to build up a 'biobank' of crayweed populations as a contingency in case they are wiped out by a heatwave. 'In Western Australia, such a marine heatwave erased entire crayweed populations. To prevent similar losses, we are turning to cryopreservation,' says Vergés. 'We collect the sperm and eggs from different populations and freeze them at ultra-low temperatures.' While other kelp species have been cryopreserved in research labs around the world, no one had successfully applied the method to crayweed, says Catalina López-Bermúdez, who is working on freezing efforts as part of her PhD at the University of Sydney. 'We don't have any genotypes or biobanks for these species,' she explained. 'So, if we lose a population, it's gone forever.' Beyond the technical challenge, the work has a deeper meaning for López-Bermúdez: 'Sometimes, as a young scientist, it's hard not to feel hopeless. But this feels like something real, something that can make a difference,' she says. 'It gives you hope.' The efforts of Operation Crayweed are part of wider global efforts to recover lost kelp habitat. The Kelp Forest Challenge aims to restore four million hectares of kelp globally by 2040. For Vergés, the success of the project is both scientific and personal. 'I swim in the ocean on weekends, and everywhere I go now, I see crayweed again,' 'she says. 'It was gone, and it never would've come back by itself.
Irish Times
23-05-2025
- Climate
- Irish Times
Netanyahu lashes out at world leaders
Flash flooding on Australia's southeast coast that has killed at least three people and cut off towns, isolating tens of thousands of residents. Video: Reuters President Donald Trump said there were "many concerns" about South Africa he wanted to discuss during a meeting with president Cyril Ramaphosa. (Reuters) Eyewitness footage shows moment shooting suspect Elias Rodriguez was restrained by security officers after fatal attack on Israeli embassy staffers in DC. Dublin City Council has started to clear a large illegal landfill site in Darndale on the north of the city. Video: Bryan O'Brien The Israeli military said that it fired near a diplomatic delegation which had "deviated" from an approved route in the occupied West Bank. Video: Reuters Israeli attacks on Jabalia overnight have resulted in multiple fatalities and numerous injuries, mainly to children, according to reports. Caoimhe Ní Ghormáin, an expert in medieval Irish manuscripts, and John Gillis, who led the conservation, talk about the Book of Leinster. Video: Ronan McGreevy Gordon Manning speaks to members of the Dublin Senior Camogie squad ahead of this week's Camogie Association vote on the wearing of shorts. Video: Bryan O'Brien Conor Gallagher reports on Pravfond, set up by Putin, that intelligence agencies say does more than its stated goal of protecting the rights of Russians abroad 14-year-old Cara Darmody started a 50-hour disability rights protest outside Leinster House to highlight delays in children getting an assessment of needs.
Irish Times
22-05-2025
- Climate
- Irish Times
'A really dangerous once in a lifetime event': Flooding in Australia
Flash flooding on Australia's southeast coast that has killed at least three people and cut off towns, isolating tens of thousands of residents. Video: Reuters President Donald Trump said there were "many concerns" about South Africa he wanted to discuss during a meeting with president Cyril Ramaphosa. (Reuters) Eyewitness footage shows moment shooting suspect Elias Rodriguez was restrained by security officers after fatal attack on Israeli embassy staffers in DC. Dublin City Council has started to clear a large illegal landfill site in Darndale on the north of the city. Video: Bryan O'Brien The Israeli military said that it fired near a diplomatic delegation which had "deviated" from an approved route in the occupied West Bank. Video: Reuters Israeli attacks on Jabalia overnight have resulted in multiple fatalities and numerous injuries, mainly to children, according to reports. Caoimhe Ní Ghormáin, an expert in medieval Irish manuscripts, and John Gillis, who led the conservation, talk about the Book of Leinster. Video: Ronan McGreevy Gordon Manning speaks to members of the Dublin Senior Camogie squad ahead of this week's Camogie Association vote on the wearing of shorts. Video: Bryan O'Brien Conor Gallagher reports on Pravfond, set up by Putin, that intelligence agencies say does more than its stated goal of protecting the rights of Russians abroad 14-year-old Cara Darmody started a 50-hour disability rights protest outside Leinster House to highlight delays in children getting an assessment of needs.
