Download Weather and Climate of Long Island g

2/15/2011
Definitions
• Weather – the state of the atmosphere at
one point in time. The elements of weather
are temperature, air pressure, wind and
moisture
moisture.
• Climate – the average of all weather over
a very long period (<50 yrs.) of time.
Weather and Climate
g Island
of Long
Copyright 2011 AFG
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Climate Regions of NYS
The Office of the NYS Climatologist is based
in the Dept. of Earth and Atmospheric
Sciences at Cornell University.
It partners with the National Climatic Data
Center (NCDC) and the National Weather
Service (NWS) at NOAA.
Web address: http://nysc.eas.cornell.edu/
LONG ISLAND
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Characteristics of Long Island’s
Climate
Climate Controls
1. Humid Subtropical/Continental – coldest month’s
average temperature is around 32°F.
2. Temperature and precipitation are influenced by its
coastal location; coldest in central LI.
3 Generally warm to hot humid summers and warm to cold
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winters.
4. No dry season; snow in winter.
5. Predominant wind direction is from the west.
6. Greatest recurring storm hazard is snow and ice in winter; thunderstorms in summer. Nor’easters are intense
winter ocean storms. Hurricanes and tornados are rare.
7. Microclimates develop over urbanized areas.
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Of all the factors that influence climate development
on Long Island, the following five are the most
influential:
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Latitude – solar energy and seasonal variation
Land vs. Water – heat exchange differences
Ocean Currents – temperature; flow direction
Wind – direction; characteristics
Air Masses – source region; characteristics
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Long Island has a mid-latitude
maritime climate
74°W
North Atlantic Ocean Currents
72°W
41°N
Long Island>
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Source: Excerpted from non copyrighted 1943 map of ocean currents
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Air Mass Source Regions and their
Characteristics
Storm Tracks
Predominant wind direction is from west to east.
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Source: Getis, Intro to Geography, 10th edition
Cyclonic Storms – warm and cold fronts.
Daily weather makers.
Nor’easter: An intense cyclonic storm that forms off the east coast of North America
over the warm waters of the Gulf Stream. Its counterclockwise circulation interacts with
an Arctic high pressure cell to produce high winds from the northeast, great amounts of
precipitation (rain or snow) and a heavy surf. They are most intense during the winter. 11
Microclimates
• Microclimates develop locally due to
changes in an area’s physical characteristics.
• Rural areas – local conditions change as an
area goes from forest to large farmstead to
suburb.
• Urban areas – artificial conditions
– Concrete and asphalt surfaces (warmer)
– Limited soil and vegetation (less humid)
– Tall buildings (shadows and wind channels)
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Temperature and Precipitation
Characteristics of Long Island
Global Warming and Long Island
The Long Island Region of NYS
Warmest
Least
snowy
Longest
frost-free
period
Ample
precipitation
• As climate warms, NYS’s equivalent
earth position will move toward the
equator.
• “Southern” flora and fauna will move
into NYS.
• Winter storms will increase in number
and intensity.
• Snowstorms will increase.
• Sea level will rise as ice caps melt.
• Long Island will be the first area of NYS
to experience this.
Source: NYS Conservationist, August 2007
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Global Warming (cont’d)
Climate Charts for LI
Climate Graph: Islip, NY (Suffolk)
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Precip in Inches
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AP
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JU
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JU
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AU
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SE
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PRECIPITATION in
inches
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10
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70
60
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Temp in F
Climate Graph: Greenport, NY (Suffolk)
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JA
FEN
M B
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APR
M R
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J UY
J UN
AU L
SEG
OP
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NO T
DE V
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MONTHS
PRECIPITATION in
inches
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JA
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Precip in Inches
Temp in F
MONTHS
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Climate Statistics
TEMPERATURE in
degrees F
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TEMPERATURE in
degrees F
PRECIPITATION in
inches
Climate Graph: Mineola, NY (Nassau)
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Temp in F
MONTHS
MONTHS
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Precip in Inches
JA
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M B
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M R
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TEMPERATURE in
degrees F
PRECIPITATION in inches
Climate Graph: JFK Airport, Queens NY
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TEMPERATURE in
degrees F
• As sea level rises, areas of SE NYS and the
Hudson valley north to Albany will be under water.
• Long Island coastal areas will see greater erosion
from waves.
waves
• Warm-climate diseases and pests will spread into
the area, especially if winter temperatures do not
drop below freezing for extended periods.
Precip in Inches
Temp in F
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Hurricane of 1938
• To find a LI weather station statistics, see pp 4-7
of the Monthly Station Climate Summaries for
New York at
http://cdo.ncdc.noaa.gov/climatenormals/clim20/statepdf/ny.pdf.
(DO NOT PRINT THIS FILE. IT IS 442 PAGES LONG.)
Photo Credit: UPI Photo
• Brooklyn
• Mineola
• Greenport
LaGuardia
JFK Airport
Setauket
Riverhead
Bridgehampton
Photo Credit: UPI Photo
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Storm surge: 12-25 ft
at high tide
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SLOSH Map of NY Bight
Hurricane Storm Surge Zones
(Sea, Land Overland Surges from Hurricanes)
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Air Quality Map
Hurricane Storm Surge Zones
•
Some of the key observations
from the include:
•
Category 1 hurricanes inundate
just about all of the immediate
south shore of the Island,
including the north side of Great
South Bay locations and both
sides off the north and south forks.
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Montauk Highway (RT. 27A) is
completely covered by flood
waters during a Category 3
hurricane. Therefore, this road
would be considered impassable
during the storm.
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• The highest storm surges
(Category 4) would occur in
the following regions:
– Amityville Harbor - 29 feet
– Atlantic Beach & Long Beach
areas - 24 to 28 feet
– South Oyster Bay, Middle Bay,
& East Bay areas - 24
2 to 28
feet
– Montauk Point is completely
cut off from rest of south fork
during a Category 1 storm.
– Much of the north and south
forks are entirely under water
during a Category 3 hurricane.
• A category 4 hurricane inundates entire towns along
South Shore.
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Air Quality Issues
• Air quality is relevant to issues of human
and environmental health.
• Sources of air pollution originate within
and outside NYS.
• Air pollution includes:
-gaseous emissions: CO2, NO2 ,ozone,
methane
-particulates: dust, soot (urban, agriculture, mining)
-acid precipitation: sulfur dioxide + moisture = sulfuric acid
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