Hurricane Beryl Becomes Earliest Category 5 Storm in Recorded History; Could Bring ‘Life-Threatening’ Conditions to Jamaica

satellite DATA FROM pivotal weather

In what has been an unusually early start to the Atlantic hurricane season, Hurricane Beryl continues to break records after making landfall earlier Monday on Grenada’s Carriacou Island.

Reports of widespread damage have come in from the Lesser Antilles, including Carriacou, which has reportedly been nearly flattened by the storm. Beryl first made headlines on Sunday when it reached Category 4 status with wind speeds exceeding 210 km/h (130 mph).

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This achievement makes Beryl the strongest Atlantic hurricane ever recorded in June and marks the earliest occurrence of a storm reaching Category 4 status in a year. The previous record holder was Hurricane Dennis, which achieved Category 4 status on July 8, 2005.

Just over 24 hours later, the National Hurricane Center has officially confirmed that Beryl is now a potentially catastrophic Category 5 storm, packing sustained winds of 260 km/h (160 mph) and heading towards Jamaica by Wednesday. Beryl poses a significant threat of life-threatening winds and storm surge to Jamaica later this week.

Beryl now holds the title for the earliest Category 5 storm in recorded history, surpassing Hurricane Emily on July 16, 2005. Emily and Beryl are also the only Category 5 storms on record for the month of July.

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According to the National Hurricane Center:

Beryl is expected to maintain a rapid west-northwestward movement over the next few days. On its forecast track, the center of Beryl will swiftly traverse the southeastern and central Caribbean Sea from tonight through Tuesday and is projected to pass near Jamaica on Wednesday.

Recent data from NOAA Hurricane Hunters shows that maximum sustained winds have reached near 160 mph (260 km/h) with higher gusts. Beryl is now classified as a potentially catastrophic Category 5 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.

While fluctuations in strength are anticipated over the next day or so, Beryl is expected to remain near major hurricane intensity as it moves into the central Caribbean and near Jamaica on Wednesday. Some weakening is forecast thereafter, although Beryl is expected to maintain hurricane status in the northwestern Caribbean.

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As of 11 PM EDT on Monday, July 1, 2024:

A Hurricane Warning is in effect for...

• Jamaica

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for...

• South coast of Dominican Republic from Punta Palenque westward to the border with Haiti

• South coast of Haiti from the border with the Dominican Republic to Anse d'Hainault

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Perseid Meteor Shower 2021

Photo Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls - In this 30 second exposure, a meteor streaks across the sky during the annual Perseid meteor shower Friday, Aug. 12, 2016 in Spruce Knob, West Virginia.

The best meteor shower of the year is upon us - the Perseids. This year we are expecting as many as 100 Perseids an hour on August 11-12. The best time to observe the shower is during the hours before sunrise on Thursday morning. Since this shower lasts from July 17 to August 24 you can see Perseid meteors before and after the peak. The Perseids are the debris from the comet Swift-Tuttle which has a 133 year orbit around our Sun.

One good way to view meteors is to just lie down and watch the sky in a dark place. August nights can sometimes be cool depending on your location so as well as a blanket or lounge chair to lie on you might want to bring a jacket, your favourite hot drink and bug spray. This year though some places are seeing unseasonable warm nights so best to check your local forecast. If you can let your eyes get adjusted to the dark before you go out to look for meteors. You can do this by avoiding bright lights including looking at your phone for 30 minutes. Even if the weather doesn’t cooperate on the night of your first choice there will be other chances to watch the Perseids.

Photo credit: NASA/JPL - An outburst of Perseid meteors lights up the sky in August 2009 in this time-lapse image.

The radiant (where the meteors appear to originate) is in the constellation called Perseus, hence the name Perseids. The constellation Perseus rises higher in the sky as the night progresses so observing later, after 2am, means you will see more meteors. This year the phase of the moon is in our favour so we should be able to see fainter meteors than in previous years.

As well as the Perseids there are also sporadic meteors at the rate of a few per hour. You may also catch a meteor from a weaker shower that is active right now as well (Alpha Capricornids, Southern Delta Aquariids, and Kappa Cygnids). If you can note which constellation the meteor appears to originate from you can distinguish between the different showers and sporadic meteors.

The Perseids are also known for producing the most fireballs of any meteor shower. A fireball is defined as a bright meteor that has survived its entry through the earth’s atmosphere and scientists are very interested in locating meteorites from it (https://www.imo.net/observations/fireballs/fireballs/). As well as human observations many fireballs have been caught on dash cams and security cameras. Some fireballs also produce a sonic boom a second or two after they pass overhead. The colour of a fireball is an important observation as it is dependent on the chemical composition of the meteor.

If you spot a fireball you can report it to the American Meteor Society https://www.amsmeteors.org/fireballs/ or the International Meteor Organization https://www.imo.net/observations/fireballs/fireball-report-program/. NASA also has a database of fireballs here https://fireballs.ndc.nasa.gov/skyfalls/.

References and further reading.

https://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/astronomy/tips-tricks/perseids.asp

https://blogs.nasa.gov/Watch_the_Skies/2021/08/09/how-many-perseids-will-i-see-in-2021/

https://blogs.nasa.gov/Watch_the_Skies/2020/08/06/perseids-peak-watch-best-meteor-shower-of-the-year/
https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/everything-you-need-to-know-perseid-meteor-shower

https://www.amsmeteors.org/

https://www.imo.net/

https://fireballs.ndc.nasa.gov/

https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/meteor-shower/en/ (NASA’s Space Place is a great place to explore science with your kids)

"Ring of Fire" Annular Solar Eclipse (June 10 2021)

An annular solar eclipse on May 20, 2012.

Credits: Dale Cruikshank

In the early morning hours on Thursday, June 10, 2021 observers in Northern Ontario, Northern Quebec, and Nunavut will have the rare chance of seeing a “Ring of Fire” or Annular Solar Eclipse, weather permitting of course.

An annular solar eclipse happens when the Moon passes in front of the Sun but is far enough away from the Earth that it does not completely cover the Sun as it would during a total eclipse.

Even if you are outside the “path of annularity” (grey in the figure below from the University of Toronto’s page on the eclipse) you may be able to see the moon partially obscuring the Sun or a partial eclipse. You will have to get up early to see it as the eclipse will have started before the Sun rises except for regions in the far north (green). The areas that are yellow on the map will see the maximum after sunrise. If you are in a location where the area is red you will only see a partial eclipse, the Moon will gradually uncover more and more of the Sun as the maximum will have occurred before sunrise.

Check out this page from timeanddate.com for more maps and information. You can also search for a specific location to see when and what you will see from timeandate.com as well. See the example below for Ottawa:

It is very important not to look directly at the Sun especially during an eclipse as you can damage your eyes. “When watching a partial solar eclipse or annular solar eclipse, you must wear solar viewing or eclipse glasses throughout the entire eclipse if you want to face the Sun. Solar viewing or eclipses glasses are NOT regular sunglasses; regular sunglasses are not safe for viewing the Sun.” from NASA's page on the eclipse.

Here are instructions on how to make a pinhole camera that you can use to safely view the eclipse in an indirect manner.

See also space.com for more information about the eclipse.

Hopefully the skies will be clear so that you can enjoy eclipse.

Supermoon Eclipse (May 26 2021)

A telescopic visualization of the 2021 total lunar eclipse.
Credits: NASA’s Scientifc Visualization Studio

This month’s full moon is not only a supermoon but there will also be a total lunar eclipse visible to much of North America (weather permitting) on the morning of May 26 2021 as well as other parts of the world.

A total lunar eclipse happens when the moon fully enters the earth’s shadow or umbra. The total eclipse phase will be visible near moonset in Western Canada and the United States. Observers in Eastern Canada will be able to see the start of the eclipse or penumbral phase before the moon sets. Unfortunately the martimes will not be able to see any part of the eclipse but can still enjoy the supermoon.

Below is NASA’s sheet on the lunar Eclipse. The times are in UT and you can convert UTC to your time using one of the many converters on the web. They note the times when the moon first touches the different parts of the earth’s shadow. The umbra is the darkest part of the shadow (red in the diagram below) and penumbra (grey) is when only part of sun’s light is being obscurred by the earth.

Check out this interactive map from timeanddate.com to see when and what part of the eclipse will be visible in a location near you and other locations. Some examples:

Space.com’s page also has great information about the eclipse.

The last supermoon total eclipse was nearly 6 years ago, and the next total lunar eclipse that will be visible over North America is next May. For more information about lunar eclipses in the coming decade see NASA’s page.

The full moon in May is called Flower Moon and also goes by the names of Corn Planting Moon, the Milk Moon, and the Hare Moon.

Supermoons occur when the moon is at its closest approach to the earth during the new or full phase. The orbit of the moon is elliptical and the distance from the earth to the moon varies quite a bit. It can be as close as 356,500 km at perigee (average is 363,300 km) or as far as 406,700 km at apogee (average is 405,500 km). There is a significant difference in the size and brightness of a supermoon and micromoon. A supermoon is 14% bigger and 30% brighter than a micromoon.

CREDIT: NASAJPL Edu

Educators and astronomy enthusiasts: JPL has an activity on how you could measure this difference over many months.

Tonight's Pink Supermoon (April 26 2021)

Credit: Photo of 2016 Supermoon Lauren D.

Tonight's full moon or Pink Moon is also a supermoon. The full moon in April is called Pink Moon not because it will appear pink but because of pink wildflowers (phlox) that bloom in the spring. Other names of the full moon in April are Sprouting Grass Moon, Fish Moon, Hare Moon, Egg Moon, and Paschal Moon.

Supermoons occur when the moon is at its closest approach to the earth during the new or full phase. The orbit of the moon is elliptical and the distance from the earth to the moon varies quite a bit. It can be as close as 356,500 km at perigee (average is 363,300 km) or as far as 406,700 km at apogee (average is 405,500 km). There is a significant difference in the size and brightness of a supermoon and micromoon. A supermoon is 14% bigger and 30% brighter than a micromoon.

If you miss tonight's supermoon you will get another chance next month with May's Flower Moon , which is also a supermoon and the moon will be slightly closer to earth (157km).

CREDIT: NASAJPL Edu

Educators and astronomy enthusiasts: JPL has an activity on how you could measure this difference over many months.

Will There Be a "Christmas Star" in 2020?

Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech

Jupiter and Saturn will be in great conjunction on the Winter Solstice this year but will they actually be close enough to appear to be one star?

If you have been watching Jupiter and Saturn these past weeks you will notice that they are getting closer to each other in the sky. When they reach their closest approach on December 21 they will be 6 minutes of arc apart or one fifth the diameter of the Moon. The Moon has an angular diameter of about 30 minutes of arc.

What will you see? Will it be two objects very close to each other or one “Christmas star”? It will depend in part on your eyesight and how clear it is on that night.

Some people with good eyesight can see Venus as a crescent when it is in that phase and Venus is smaller (about 1 minute of arc) than the distance that will be separating Jupiter and Saturn. You may also notice that on nights when it isn’t perfectly clear the “seeing” can make objects appear larger than they really are due to a blurring effect.

Jupiter and Saturn have not been observed to be this close to one another in the night sky since 1226. They were very close in 1623 but this conjunction was likely not visible to the naked eye.

Regardless of whether or not people see one star-like object on December 21 it is a very special event and we hope that everyone has clear skies so that they can witness it. Even if it isn’t going to be clear that night, be sure to look for them in the days before and leading up to December 21.

Copyright: Sebastian Voltmer pic.twitter.com/HzGMb2ada3

— NASA APOD Bot(Unofficial) (@bot_apod) December 15, 2020

On December 21 about 1 hour after sunset find a place such as a park or field if you are in the city that has an unobstructed view of the southwest sky. If you have a pair of binoculars bring them with you as Jupiter’s 4 largest moons will also be visible.

Here’s hoping you’re able to see it! Let us know!

References and further reading:

https://www.nasa.gov/feature/the-great-conjunction-of-jupiter-and-saturn

https://earthsky.org/human-world/was-the-christmas-star-real

https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com/advice/skills/great-conjunction-jupiter-saturn/

https://blogs.nasa.gov/Watch_the_Skies/2020/12/17/jupiter-saturn-great-conjunction-watch-best-view-since-middle-ages/

Watch it live:

https://www.space.com/17933-nasa-television-webcasts-live-space-tv.html

The Full Moon on Halloween is a Special One

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

This year's full moon on Halloween has many names - blue moon, micromoon, Hunter's Moon, and the Beaver Moon are just a few. See this article from NASA for a discussion of the many names of Saturday's full moon.

Is this Halloween’s full moon a blue moon?

A common definition of a blue moon is the second full moon during the same calendar month. This means that all full moons on Halloween will also be a blue moon. Full moons occur every 29.5 days which is less than the number of day in October. So the answer is yes by this definition. NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio created the image below.

CREDIT NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio

Another traditional definition of a blue moon is that it is the third full moon in a season where there are 4 full moons. Normally a season has 3 full moons since it is 3 months long. The seasonal or traditional definition of a blue moon is independent of where you live and what time zone you are unlike the calendar definition. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_moon#Blue_moons_between_2009_and_2037 for a list of seasonal and calendar blue moons between 2009 and 2037. The full moon on Saturday is not a seasonal blue moon.

What is a micromoon?

Saturday's full moon is also a micromoon. A micromoon is when the moon is at its furthest point in its orbit from the earth during its full or new phase. The orbit of the moon is elliptical and the distance from the earth to the moon varies quite a bit. It can be as close as 356,500 km at perigee (average is 363,300 km) or as far as 406,700 km at apogee (average is 405,500 km). On Oct 30 the moon is 406,394 km away. There is a significant difference in the size and brightness of a supermoon and micromoon. A supermoon is 14% bigger and 30% brighter than a micromoon.

Ever wondered why the Moon looks bigger and brighter during a supermoon? Watch this short animation to find out. Learn more about supermoons, here: www.jpl.n...

CREDIT: NASAJPL Edu

Educators and astronomy enthusiasts: JPL has an activity on how you could measure this difference over many months.

On average we will see a full moon on Halloween every 19 years. The next one will occur in 2039. If the sky is clear be sure to check out the full moon on Halloween as it is a special event that won’t happen again for quite a while.

Is This a True Fire Tornado?

This video was posted recently to TikTok and is from one of the areas that is being devastated by wildfires on the west coast of the United States. (When we have more information we will update this article.)

Chad (@flamecatcher2) has created a short video on TikTok with music Tornado Siren Sound Effect. | #wildfire #wildlandfirefighter #2020

Is this a true fire tornado?

In order to answer this question we first must understand what a true fire tornado is. Often people call a fire whirl a fire tornado or firenado but just as a dust devil is not a tornado, similarly, fire whirls are not true tornadoes.

Fire whirls are whirlwinds caused by a fire and are usually small in size. Though some can be similar to a landspout tornado, a rope like funnel that forms from a thunderstorm that has no rotating updraft. Landspout tornadoes can be dangerous and the damage caused tends to be EF2 or lower on the Enhanced Fujita scale.

A prerequisite to a true fire tornado is a pyrocumulonimbus cloud which is a Cumulonimbus (Cb) cloud that forms above a heat source like a wildfire but could also form above a volcanic eruption. Supercell thunderstorms which sometimes produce tornadoes also have cumulonimbus clouds. A supercell has a mesocyclone, a deep persistent rotating updraft. This rotation is what can sometimes result in a tornado.

This excellent video explains the proof that the Australian researchers had that a true fire tornado was responsible for the catastrophic destruction during the Canberran bushfires in 2003.

Australian researchers now have proof that a devastating fire tornado carved a path of destruction during the Canberran bushfires in 2003. Subscribe to ABC S...

This is the first documented true fire tornado.

The Fire tornado video taken by Tom Bates has a time stamped description of the features of the tornado. The estimated wind speeds in excess of 250km/hr resulted in it being classified as an EF3 tornado.

On July 18 2018, a second true fire tornado was documented in Redding, California. The Carr Fire spawned an EF3 fire tornado. This is also the strongest tornado recorded to date in California.

Another possible fire tornado occurred recently (December 30 2019) in Australia and sadly resulted in the death of a volunteer firefighter when his truck was flipped over.

For the first time the National Weather Service issued a tornado warning due to a fire on August 15 2020. The NWS saw rotation on radar associated with the pyrocumulonimbus cloud from the Loyalton Wildfire in Southeastern Lassen County in northern California and they issued this tornado warning:

Fire Tornado Warning from NWS

They also issued the following related tweets:

Tweets from NWS Reno

Any tornado is dangerous just as any wildfire is dangerous but a fire tornado is even more dangerous especially to firefighters battling the fire.

To our knowledge (at the time of publishing this article) there was no similar tornado warning issued recently. Even if there wasn’t a tornado warning or a tornadic pyrocumulonimbus cloud associated with this fire vortex, this is more significant event than a small fire whirl. There is not enough information at this time to answer the question of whether or not the TikTok video is showing a true fire tornado.

The wildfires that are occurring in the United States are devastating. Our thoughts are with all those that are affected.

References and further reading:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enhanced_Fujita_scale

https://www.nssl.noaa.gov/education/svrwx101/tornadoes/types/

https://esa.act.gov.au/cbr-be-emergency-ready/bushfires/fire-tornado-video

https://www.sciencenewsforstudents.org/article/californias-carr-fire-spawned-true-fire-tornado

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqYEeivt8Eg

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-12-31/rfs-volunteer-firefighter-dies-in-truck-rollover/11833634