Marine Oil Spill ExerciseMarine Oil Spill Exercise Leveraging NERACOOS “Visibility” Leveraging NERACOOS “Visibility”

August, 2009 August, 2009 Seacoast Science CenterSeacoast Science Center

John CannonJohn CannonNational Weather ServiceNational Weather Service

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Collaborative partner…Steve Lehmann (NOAA’s Office of Response and Restoration)Collaborative partner…Steve Lehmann (NOAA’s Office of Response and Restoration)

Hurricane “Bill”: Rescue Operations at AcadiaHurricane “Bill”: Rescue Operations at AcadiaPeople swept out to sea at Acadia due to rogue wavePeople swept out to sea at Acadia due to rogue wave

Hurricane “Bill”Hurricane “Bill” Warnings/DiscussionsWarnings/Discussions

MEZ023>028-NHZ014-221900-MEZ023>028-NHZ014-221900-/O.NEW.KGYX.CF.Y.0004.090823T0400Z-090823T2100Z//O.NEW.KGYX.CF.Y.0004.090823T0400Z-090823T2100Z/COASTAL YORK-COASTAL CUMBERLAND-SAGADAHOC-LINCOLN-KNOX-COASTAL YORK-COASTAL CUMBERLAND-SAGADAHOC-LINCOLN-KNOX-COASTAL WALDO-COASTAL ROCKINGHAM-COASTAL WALDO-COASTAL ROCKINGHAM-422 AM EDT SAT AUG 22 2009422 AM EDT SAT AUG 22 2009

...A COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 5...A COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 5PM SUNDAY...PM SUNDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GRAY HAS ISSUED A COASTAL FLOODTHE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GRAY HAS ISSUED A COASTAL FLOODADVISORY...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 5 PM SUNDAY.ADVISORY...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 5 PM SUNDAY.

THE NERACOOS COASTAL FLOOD NOMOGRAMTHE NERACOOS COASTAL FLOOD NOMOGRAM INDICATES THAT MINOR SPLASH- INDICATES THAT MINOR SPLASH-OVER MAY OCCUR SHORTLY AFTER MIDNIGHT TONIGHT. MINOR AND LOCALLY OVER MAY OCCUR SHORTLY AFTER MIDNIGHT TONIGHT. MINOR AND LOCALLY MODERATE SPLASH-OVER CONDITIONS...SOME COASTAL INUNDATION AS WELL AS MODERATE SPLASH-OVER CONDITIONS...SOME COASTAL INUNDATION AS WELL AS BEACH EROSION...ARE MORE LIKELY EARLY SUNDAY AFTERNOON...NEAR THE TIME BEACH EROSION...ARE MORE LIKELY EARLY SUNDAY AFTERNOON...NEAR THE TIME OF HIGH TIDE. DANGEROUS RIP CURRENTS WILL CONTINUE AS WELL.OF HIGH TIDE. DANGEROUS RIP CURRENTS WILL CONTINUE AS WELL.

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DICSUSSION...NERACOOS OBSERVATIONS SHOWING WAVE ACTION LEFTOVER FROM HURRICANE BILL GRADUALLY SUBSIDING TODAY. HOWEVER...THERE WILL STILL BE A FEW SWELLS IN THE 3 TO 6 FOOT RANGE OFFSHORE. THEREFORE...HAVE LEFT A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR SEAS IN PLACE THROUGH TODAY. WINDS SHOULD BE RELATIVELY LIGHT TODAY AND TONIGHT.

What are the Hazards within the NERACOOS domain??What are the Hazards within the NERACOOS domain??

• Severe thunderstormsSevere thunderstorms– LightningLightning

• Marine IssuesMarine Issues– Dense fogDense fog– HurricanesHurricanes– Coastal Flooding Coastal Flooding

• Splash-overSplash-over– Extra-tropical Marine StormsExtra-tropical Marine Storms– TsunamisTsunamis– Arctic sea smoke/freezing sprayArctic sea smoke/freezing spray– Extremely Cold water/Rip currentsExtremely Cold water/Rip currents

• Fresh Water FloodingFresh Water Flooding– Urban and fresh water floodingUrban and fresh water flooding

• Winter StormsWinter Storms– Ice storms/snowstormsIce storms/snowstorms

• Oil spills (or other hazardous spills)Oil spills (or other hazardous spills)• Airborne threat, chemical etc. (run atmospheric models)Airborne threat, chemical etc. (run atmospheric models)• Fire WeatherFire Weather

Another Historical Tanker Accident…Another Historical Tanker Accident…

Importance of NERACOOS visibility dataImportance of NERACOOS visibility data

▪83 foot Trawler sunk off Cape Anne in dense fog▪Disputed collision with 541 foot Tanker

“Starbound” struck and sinks 100 am August 5th, 2001

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Marine Spill ExerciseMarine Spill Exercise

• Scheduled for March 10Scheduled for March 10thth, 2010, 2010

• ““SONS”: Spill of national significanceSONS”: Spill of national significance– Will draw more than 1000 participants to the regionWill draw more than 1000 participants to the region

• Spill will occur along the coastal waters near PortlandSpill will occur along the coastal waters near Portland– Portland = 2Portland = 2ndnd largest oil port on the east coast largest oil port on the east coast

• Marks 20Marks 20thth anniversary of the Exxon Valdez spill anniversary of the Exxon Valdez spill

• Can be used as a venue to discuss NERACOOS networkCan be used as a venue to discuss NERACOOS network

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Will be providing weather briefingsWill be providing weather briefings• Briefings will occur for days 3 and 4 “after” the accident

- Actually this will work out as the long-lived storm impact the coast for several days

• Oil impacts Mass Bay, Cape Cod and Long Island Sound

• In what format??? Graphics? NERACOOS Plots? Not sure.

• Type of media attention?

Storm Requirements for the DrillStorm Requirements for the Drill

• Northeast wind to drive oil Northeast wind to drive oil along the coastlinealong the coastline

• Wind shift required to drive oil Wind shift required to drive oil south through Southern New south through Southern New England and Long IslandEngland and Long Island

• Will be attending “Science of Will be attending “Science of Oil Spills” training in NH this Oil Spills” training in NH this fall (NOAA SSC) fall (NOAA SSC)

Marine Oil Spill Exercise: Patriots Day StormMarine Oil Spill Exercise: Patriots Day Storm

• Leverage usefulness of the NERACOOS data networkLeverage usefulness of the NERACOOS data network– Atmospheric models are poor over the open ocean (buoy data Atmospheric models are poor over the open ocean (buoy data

very important)very important)– Retrograding low: NERACOOS data criticalRetrograding low: NERACOOS data critical

• Long-lived storm with high impactLong-lived storm with high impact• Recent event…that many will rememberRecent event…that many will remember

Patriot’s Day Storm (April 16, 2007)Patriot’s Day Storm (April 16, 2007)

Patriot’s Day Storm (Infrared Satellite Images)Patriot’s Day Storm (Infrared Satellite Images)

Patriot’s Day (April 16, 2007)Patriot’s Day (April 16, 2007)

Beach Communities Hit HardBeach Communities Hit Hard

Inundation (Portland)Inundation (Portland)

Freshwater FloodingFreshwater Flooding

Damage to Marinas (often underreported)Damage to Marinas (often underreported)

Wind Damage (Category 2 hurricane)Wind Damage (Category 2 hurricane)

SheltersShelters

Courtesy: Portland Press Herald

Can Share NERACOOS Products During the Drill Can Share NERACOOS Products During the Drill (below is an example from the Patriot’s Day Storm)(below is an example from the Patriot’s Day Storm)

Thanks for your time!Thanks for your time!

• Questions/Comments???Questions/Comments???john.w.cannon@noaa.govjohn.w.cannon@noaa.gov

USCG District 1Steve LehmannNOAA SSCCDR 1st Coast Guard District (MEP)408 Atlantic AvenueBoston, Massachusetts 02110

Phone: 617.223.8016