Dr. Cathy Finley
Unusual Weather Patterns Reduce 2009 Tornado Count, Impact Wind Energy Production
Every severe weather season is unique, but 2009 has been especially unusual. April, May and June are typically the most active months for severe storms, but this year these storms went into hiding during the climatological peak of the tornado season. In tornado alley, the number of tornadoes was approximately 75% below average from mid-May to mid-June. Many areas of the Northern Plains reported only 10-20% of the normal number of tornadoes during the peak of the season.
Dr. Cathy Finley, posted on
September 14th, 2009
Articles, Earth Observation, Energy, Weather
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NASA Image of the Day
Orbital Sunrise
The Expedition 24 crew on the International Space Station photographed this image of polar mesospheric clouds illuminated by an orbital sunrise. Polar mesospheric, or noctilucent ("night shining"), clouds usually are seen at twilight, following the setting of the sun below the horizon and darkening of Earth's surface. Occasionally the station's orbital track becomes nearly parallel to Earth's day/night terminator for a time, allowing the clouds to be visible to the crew at times other than the usual twilight because of the station's altitude. This photograph shows polar mesospheric clouds illuminated by the rising, rather than setting, sun at center right. Low clouds on the horizon appear yellow and orange, while higher clouds and aerosols are illuminated a brilliant white. Polar mesospheric clouds appear as light blue ribbons extending across the top of the image. The station was located over the Greek island of Kos in the Aegean Sea (near the southwestern coastline of Turkey) when the image was taken at approximately midnight local time. The orbital complex was tracking northeastward, nearly parallel to the terminator, making it possible to observe an apparent "sunrise" located almost due north. A similar unusual alignment of the ISS orbit track, terminator position and seasonal position of Earth's orbit around the sun allowed for this striking imagery of over the Southern Hemisphere. Image Credit: NASA
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