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 Riverside.
Bakersfield 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
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