24 OCTOBER. GREAT LAKES: CLIMATE

ANN ARBOR: "Most people associate El Nino with unusually good fishing on the West coast and warmer-than-usual winters in the East. Few links have been drawn between the periodic weather phenomenon and the middle of the country---until now, that is. New climatological research by a pair of University of Michigan engineers suggests that peaks in the El Nino cycle correspond with surges in storm strength, water levels and destruction on the shores of the Great Lakes. Moreover, because of the intensity of the current El Nino, residents of the Great Lakes region should consider bracing for what could be one of the most destructive storm seasons on record. Guy and Lorelle Meadows, researchers in the Department of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering, have found a correlation between El Nino years and elevated storm wave energies in the Great Lakes. "It's ongoing research. We're still trying to figure out the total impact of this," said Lorelle Meadows, a research scientist. Even so, they said, the correlation appears to be quite strong. "Wave conditions on the Great Lakes, if we are right, may reach an all-time high in terms of their intensity," said her husband, Guy Meadows, an associate professor of naval architecture and marine engineering. The couple derived the correlation by overlaying decades of Great Lakes storm data and water level fluctuations and comparing the results with El Nino strengths and dates. The result is a well-tracked pair of curves that seem to fluctuate in lock-step with each other. Great Lakes storm damage occurs when wave energies are high and water levels are on the rise. These coupled events seem to follow major El Nino episodes. The scientists are not certain how El Nino influences Midwestern weather. However, one explanation is most likely: El Nino currents heat up the Pacific Ocean, spawning more frequent, stronger storms. Evidence suggests that these storms take paths over the Midwest, thus imparting a more direct impact on the Great Lakes basin than during normal years. This in turn leads to increased storminess and more powerful waves, which, in combination with high water levels, can be devastating to coastal areas. In 1984 and 1985, storms caused some $130 million damage to the Great Lakes region. That period immediately followed the strongest El Nino in the last 20 years, according to the researchers".--Adam Marcus marcusa@engin.umich.edu

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27 October 1997. TENNESSEE. CLIMATE

I am in Tennessee, USA, zone 5: In the Spring it rained and rained and rained. We set a record for the number of consecutive days of rain. Things started growing and looking green but then started getting various fungus and rot because we couldn't get any sunshine. Just a day or two would have helped. But even when it wasn't raining, there would be a cloud-cover, it seemed. Finally, it stopped raining, and I mean it stopped. I have never had to water anything in my garden for the years I have had it. I have mostly perennials and it always before rained about once a week. After the rain stopped, the sun shined....and shined...and bore down on us for months. I think these two events greatly weakened my plants. I am hoping we do not have these conditions next year or I will start to see plants die. Also, we had such a plague of Japanese beetles that many of my flowering plants and roses were eaten up all summer. I don't know whether to blame that on El Nino or not..-- Joseph Rizzo <Riz1@ix.netcom.com> via Newsgroups: rec.gardens

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27 OCTOBER. CANADA: FISH

As part of a research project on American eel productivity for a watershed, we have to estimate the number of eel that migrate to the sea.. . . This year, we observed an odd phenomenon during eel migration: from August until now there was almost no rain (10% of normal rainfall). Water rises were not recorded and temperature dropped rapidly. Silver eel migration to the sea was stopped early in the season and water temp. is now around 4°C in the river. My question is: What will happen for a catadromous fish, physiologically ready for seaward migration that do not meet environmental condition (water rises) before becoming torpid (below 10°C)? If somebody has any answer, comments or experience that could help me, I would appreciate it. You could reply directly to me and I will do a summary for the entire list.-- Guy Verreault < mef.rdl@transcom.qc.ca> via <FISH ECOLOGY@SEGATE.SUNET.SE>

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29 OCTOBER 1997. OREGON: SEABIRDS

I have been compiling data and reports from participating observers in Oregon, Washington and British Columbia mostly timed seawatches from sites in Oregon and Washington. These data are being archived at: http://www.pacifier.com/~mpatters/bird/enso/jetty.html El Nino related occurrences include a large irruption of Elegant Tern up to BC, Brown Pelican sightings up to and large numbers remaining beyond expected departure dates, Xantus' Murrelet on the central Oregon Coast, Brown Booby in Northern Washington. There is also an unusual irruption of Tropical Kingbirds which seems oddly coincidental.--Mike Patterson mpatters@orednet.org

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30 OCTOBER. TENNESSEE: CLIMATE

Memphis, extreme SW Tennessee: This fall started way above average but over the last 3 weeks only once or twice has the temperature been above normal.We've also experienced 2-3 frosts and a light freeze. This fall seems to be cooler and drier. Severe weather seems to be down a lot from last year when we had a good deal of it. If the pattern we're in now continues we will have the coldest winter since I've been here which has been since '89. Last winter was much warmer than usual and much wetter especially in February.--Ric Hunt mahunt@bellsouth.net

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31 OCTOBER. BRAZIL: EROSION

CNN reports that the beaches of Rio de Janeiro has suffered major erosion because of changes in wind direction and force, creating larger waves that cause erosion. With the southern spring already starting, beachfront industries and hotels may suffer from the lack of sand. CNN does report that Brazilian surfers are happy with the higher waves.-- from C. W. Gilbert blazing@igc.apc.org

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4 NOVEMBER 1997. SOMALIA, ETHIOPIA, AND KENYA: FLOODS

The Environment News Service reports that the United Nations World Food Program is trying to deal with the heaviest rainfall in more than thirty years in northeast Africa. The flooding follows a recent drought. Crops and entire villages are submerged. Heaviest damage was in Somalia, including one of its more productive farming areas. Thousands are homeless. Nando.net and Agence France-Presse report at least 100 dead: 57+ dead in Ethiopia, 17 dead in the Sudan, 29 in Kenya. In Kenya, coastal Mombasa was devastated and roads wee washed out through much of the country. The rains are regarded as ENSO-related.--contributed by C. W. Gilbert <blazing@igc.apc.org> Web: http://www.concentric.net/~Blazingt

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4 NOVEMBER. UNITED NATIONS: RESPONSE

The Environment News Service reports that a Rome-based task force of the United Nations World Food Program is attempting to coordinate intergovernmental responses and aide to ENSO-related droughts in Central America, China, Papua New Guinea and Indonesia.-- after ENS http://www.envirolink.org/environews/ens/

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5 NOVEMBER 1997. NEW ZEALAND: MARINE MAMMALS

Palmerston North: Two Antarctic seal species, a leopard fur seal and a Southern Antarctic fur seal were found ashore at New Plymouth and Hawke's Bay beaches in the last few weeks. Both were in poor conditions and were euthanized. Local investigators speculated that their occurrence might be ENSO-elated.--New Zealand Press Association via MARMAM

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