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[alac-forum] Compu-Weather's Week-in-Review



Title: Compu-Weather, Weekly Highlights
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Record Heat

Earthquake Rocks China
Looking for Ripley
 
 

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WEATHER HIGHLIGHTS  
Week of April 5, 2004

 

NEW FEATURE!!   COMPU-WEATHER CASE OF THE WEEK
GO HERE TO VIEW

WHEN PRIOR NOTICE IS AN ISSUE, COMPU-WEATHER'S METEOROLOGISTS CAN DETERMINE WHAT WAS FORECAST FOR THE EXACT POINT-OF-LOSS.

GO HERE FOR EXPERT WEATHER INTERPRETATION BY COMPU-WEATHER'S METEOROLOGISTS, OR PRINT OUR FORM FOR LATER USE

WESTERN U.S.

RECORD HEAT STRAINS POWER SUPPLY: Record-setting temperatures for so early in the season prompted a Stage 1 emergency alert across Southern California last week. A Stage 1 alert is called when the state's power reserves fall below 7 percent.  That allows grid managers to access emergency resources to maintain its operating reserves.  Dozens of records were broken last Monday, including highs of 89 degrees at Los Angeles International Airport and 97 degrees in RiversideBakersfield had its hottest March day on record, reaching 94 degrees.  Electric company officials asked that customers reduce their use of air conditioners, dishwashers and other appliances, especially during the peak-usage times of 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm.  In addition to the unusual heat, a rebound in the economy resulting in more electrical usage in offices and factories is being cited as the reason for the power shortfall.

INTERNATIONAL

EARTHQUAKE, DUSTSTORM ROCK CHINA: An earthquake measuring 5.9 on the Richter scale struck northern parts of China last week.  More than 10,000 people are reported to be homeless after the disaster.  Three days later, one of the worst dust storms to hit the country in years struck, complicating earthquake relief efforts.  In Beijing, pedestrians have to wear surgical masks to avoid choking on the thick air, and the entire skyline over the sprawling capitol city is a monochrome of gray.  Dust storms strike China every spring, as a result of winds whipping up the sands of increasingly dry northwestern regions where reforestation projects have yet to rein in erosion and desertification.

250 MILES ABOVE THE EARTHS SURFACE

LOOKING FOR RIPLEY? The two Russian cosmonauts currently manning The International Space Station heard a strange metallic sound again this past Friday, four months after being startled by it the first time.  They were speaking with flight controllers in Moscow when the loud drum-like noise was heard, emanating from another part of the spacecraft.   Officials in both Russia and the United States have yet to be able to explain the noise, which sounds something like "sheet metal being bent".  During a spacewalk in February, the exterior of the space station where the noise originated last November was scheduled to be checked. However one of the cosmonaut's spacesuits became overheated and damp (perhaps due to nervous sweat pouring off of his forehead?) so the walk had to be cut short and the area was not inspected.  A replacement crew is due to arrive at the station in two weeks.  Their request to bring along a DVD copy of the "Alien" series of movies has been turned down.

COMPU-WEATHER CASE OF THE WEEK

Barking up the wrong tree

During a rainstorm, a large tree toppled over.  Due to its enormous size and weight, the tree fell over the fence separating two yards and onto the neighbors garage, causing extensive damage to not only the garage and tool shed located next to it, but also to the two vehicles parked inside.  Both vehicles were high-end quality and relatively new.  The owners of the garage shed and vehicles filed a claim with their insurance company, and received a payout in the amount of $97,000 to cover the loss and damages.  Their insurance company then filed suit against the insurance company which covered the homeowner who owned the tree, and received reimbursement for the entire amount.  Shortly after that, the subrogation division of the tree-owner's insurance company started an investigation.

The investigator handling the case contacted COMPU-WEATHER. He wanted to know if the amount of rain which occurred on the day the tree fell, was extraordinary and could have played a part in it falling over.   While analyzing the weather for that day, the meteorologist assigned to the case noted that rain had fallen intermittently on the 10 days leading up to the day of occurrence.  He conveyed this along to the insurance investigator along with a recommendation that a study be performed to determine if the amount of rain that fell over that 10 day period was unusual.  Working in conjunction with COMPU-WEATHER'S in-house computer technology division, a program was written which would analyze the amount of rain and/or melted down snow equivalent which occurred over each and every ten day period of time, dating back to the year that weather observations first began to be collected at the nearest spot to the point-of-loss.  That observing spot began taking observations some 65 years earlier.

In the 10 days leading up to the day the tree fell, a total of 3.12" of rain had fallen.  But was this enough to cause the ground to soften up enough to play a part in the tree falling over?  Probably not.  The results of the 65 year study indicated that 3.12" or more of rain over a 10 day period of time, had occurred a total of 247 times.  Certainly NOT an unusual occurrence for this location.  

Now that weather could be ruled out as a cause, the investigator dug deeper, calling on the knowledge of a tree expert. His examination of the photos determined that the tree was in a weakened state due to decay, and probably should have been removed, or at least pruned back substantially, well before the accident. The insurance company filed claim against the owner, stating that he had been negligent in his care and handling of the tree.  A settlement was eventually reached, with the insurance company recouping a substantial amount of what it had paid out.

To read more interesting Cases of the Week, go here

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