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FAIR USE FOR DISCUSSION & EDUCATIONAL PURPOSE ONLY

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http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2030278/New-moon-warm-Atlantic-water-make-Hurricane-Irene-flooding-worse.html

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How Flooding caused by Hurricane Irene could be Made Worse by the Arrival of a New Moon

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The intensity of Hurricane Irene and the extent of the flooding on the East Coast could be made worse by a new moon and high temperature of water in the Atlantic, scientists warn.

During new and full moons, the sun, Earth, and the moon are arranged in a straight line, with the sun and moon intensifying each other's gravitational pull on Earth.

Meteorologist Jeff Masters, director of the Weather Underground website, said the result is more severe tidal fluctuations.

That means low tides are lower than usual and high tides are higher.

Due to these so-called spring tides, any town that sees the hurricane pass by during one of the two daily high tides is especially in danger of heavy flooding due to storm surges.

Mr Masters cited Atlantic City in New Jersey as an example, if it is hit between 7pm and 8pm local time on Sunday, nationalgeographic.com reports.

Storm surges are caused by a hurricane's high winds, which create a 'mound' of water along the front of the eye as the storm moves forward.

A Category 3 hurricane can push a storm surge of 9 to 12 feet tall ashore at landfall.

Mr Masters said he is especially worried about coastal New Jersey, where Hurricane Irene's storm surge could exceed ten feet.

He said it's not so much the surge height that concerns him as the state's lack of hurricane experience.

Mr Masters said: 'That area has no hurricane history whatsoever.

'They're not used to having to evacuate from hurricanes.'

So far the United States has been largely spared by the 2011 Atlantic hurricane season, which lasts from June 1 to November 30.

But in May the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued a busy forecast.

Eric Blake, a hurricane specialist with the National Hurricane Center, tells TIME that a combination of factors have already contributed to a rise in storms in 2011.

He said: 'One of the things is, how warm is the Atlantic Ocean? How warm is it compared to an average year? The other factor is the status of El Niño.

'El Niño has a tendency to cause large-scale sinking air over the Atlantic Ocean and increased vertical wind shear (two elements that diminish the risk of a hurricane).

'In neutral and La Niña, the reverse tends to be true. Those are kind of the two predictors we look at year to year.'

Mr Blake added: 'Year after year over the longer term of 20 to 30 years, we have seen the Atlantic warmer than average, mostly due to sea-surface temperatures.'

The National Hurricane Center reports that sea-surface temperatures in the Main Development Region are reading as the third warmest on record, and models predict a continuation of 'very warm' temperatures through the hurricane season.

This is all with the possibility of La Niña redeveloping.

Jeff Masters said: 'I don't see any roadblocks to intensification over the next few days.

'The ocean temperatures are 1 to 1.5 degrees warmer than average this year. Climatologically, conditions are conducive for strong hurricanes tracking far to the north this year.'

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I'm praying that this storm wakes a lot of people up. I have a cousin who at one time called himself a Christian, but turned his back on God. I really care about him and hope that this may get his attention. He's in DC.
There are just so many people who seem asleep and think that things are normal. I just don't understand how even Christians are oblivious to all that is going on.

It sad Mariposa, when someone walks away from God!
All we can do when we've done what we can, is keep them in our prayers!

I hope that He, and some people I know as well wake up before it's too late!

Time is short, Jesus is coming!

Blessings!

Valerie