{"id":15666,"date":"2017-03-31T00:46:17","date_gmt":"2017-03-31T00:46:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/coralreefpalau.org\/?page_id=15666"},"modified":"2024-01-30T08:16:06","modified_gmt":"2024-01-29T23:16:06","slug":"meteorological-monitoring","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/coralreefpalau.org\/research\/oceanographyweather\/meteorological-monitoring\/","title":{"rendered":"Meteorological Monitoring"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”center” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern” css=”.vc_custom_1491342177495{padding-top: 50px !important;background-color: #e2d62d !important;}”][vc_column][vc_widget_sidebar sidebar_id=”Oceanography Weather Menu” el_class=”extra”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”grid” angled_section=”no” text_align=”center” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern” z_index=”” background_color=”#ffffff” css=”.vc_custom_1616360747114{padding-top: 50px !important;padding-bottom: 50px !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Weather and climate variation play an important role in the functioning and structure of marine environments.<\/h4>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”25px”][vc_row_inner row_type=”row” type=”grid” text_align=”center” css_animation=””][vc_column_inner width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/3″]ROCK ISLAND LIVE WEATHER<\/a>[vc_separator type=”normal” transparency=”0″][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/3″]NGARDOK LIVE WEATHER<\/a>[vc_separator type=”normal” transparency=”0″][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern” background_color=”#39a694″ css=”.vc_custom_1495063547625{padding-top: 75px !important;padding-bottom: 75px !important;}”][vc_column][vc_row_inner row_type=”row” type=”grid” text_align=”left” css_animation=””][vc_column_inner][vc_single_image image=”15753″ img_size=”full” qode_css_animation=”” css=”.vc_custom_1491176500169{margin-bottom: 25px !important;}”][vc_column_text el_class=”yellow-link-teal-bg”]Along with the physical monitoring of aquatic parameters, keeping track of the weather (short term) and climate (long term) is an important aspect to understanding the processes affecting marine and terrestrial communities. \u00a0While some type of meteorological information can be gleaned from remote sensing, for marine areas it is also important to have data collected by standard meteorological instruments close to the specific area of interest. \u00a0The Republic of Palau has an excellent NOAA standard weather station, previously located in the middle of Koror town itself (since 1951), and presently (since 2018) located at the Palau airport on Babeldaob.\u00a0The original NOAA weather station location was not ideal as the original site was inland and surrounded by trees, buildings and other structures. It was therefore not actually measuring the weather conditions directly on the reefs.\u00a0To provide relevant real-time weather data for these applications, CRRF runs and manages several remote weather stations whose data is extremely important to understand the state of Palau’s reefs.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”grid” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern” css=”.vc_custom_1614205733068{padding-top: 50px !important;padding-bottom: 50px !important;}” z_index=””][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”15753″ img_size=”full” qode_css_animation=”” css=”.vc_custom_1491176500169{margin-bottom: 25px !important;}”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1706497678679{margin-bottom: 25px !important;}”]<\/p>\n

CRRF Weather Stations<\/h3>\n

CRRF established an autonomous weather station on Ngeanges Island (7.20839\u00b0 N,\u00a0 134.37272\u00ad\u00b0E<\/a>) in the central rock islands in 2007.\u00a0 The station is on a 40ft (12m) tower on top of a 100ft (30m) rock island, as there is no ideal site in the Rock Islands due to the topography. Originally set up for radio modem transfer of data from the station, it is now linked to a satellite connection for internet access to the data. Live data<\/a> are accessible online. Historical data<\/a> from this station are also archived with PACIIOS in Hawaii. An equivalent system was previously set up on a floating platform within Jellyfish Lake, documenting the different microclimate of the lake. The comparative data from the lake station helped us to better understand the relationship between the weather and the physical properties of the lake.<\/p>\n

CRRF’s newest autonomous weather station is located in the Ngardok Nature Reserve (7.51083\u00b0 N, 134.60755<\/a>\u00b0<\/a> E<\/a>), part of the Melekeok Conservation Network\u00a0 and provides detailed data on the conditions affecting the permanent ForestGEO<\/a> plot, part of the study of landscape change and forest dynamics<\/a> in Palau. Live data<\/a> are accessible online. This station is supported by the Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry<\/a>, US Forest Service, Hilo, Hawaii.<\/p>\n

In addition, the Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO), University of California San Diego (UCSD) has provided “Xmet” autonomous weather stations, currently for two locations in Palau: one on the western barrier reef- Ongingiang Island and the second at Helen Reef Atoll, far to the southwest from the main island group.\u00a0 The Xmet data is available here<\/a>.[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Meteorological Monitoring- Does Weather Vary in the Tropics?<\/strong>[\/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner row_type=”row” type=”full_width” text_align=”left” css_animation=””][vc_column_inner width=”2\/3″][vc_column_text]The tower weather station on Ngeanges Island (TWS) is important due to its location, isolated from obstructions (eg. tall manmade structures), and reflects the conditions that are impacting the marine and reef areas away from the large land masses of Babeldaob and Koror. The weather station documents the change of the seasons in Palau:\u00a0 the north easterly trade winds (Oct-May) and the westerly monsoon (June-Sept) with corresponding seasonal rain patterns.\u00a0 It is also important in recording weather patterns during El Ni\u00f1o and La Ni\u00f1a events.\u00a0 As one might imagine, air temperature does not vary much during the year in Palau.<\/p>\n

The total rainfall on Ngeanges Island (below) has varied over the years the TWS has been running.\u00a0 2015 had the lowest record of annual rainfall since 2007 indicating a very dry and strong El Ni\u00f1o year, with almost all months except for June recording less rainfall than the long term average. Total rainfall in 2015 was only 64 in. (162 cm), a ~50% decrease compared to the previous years.<\/p>\n

The Ngeanges Island TWS was originally supported by funding from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation through our research in Jellyfish Lake. More recent support is from Canada Fund for Local Initiatives.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/3″][vc_single_image image=”17915″ img_size=”full” qode_css_animation=””][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_single_image image=”17914″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” qode_css_animation=”” css=”.vc_custom_1613373536868{padding-top: 25px !important;padding-bottom: 25px !important;}”][vc_column_text]The pattern of wind speed and direction at Ngeanges Island from 2007 – 2020 (below) clearly shows the seasonal patterns found throughout Palau. The westerly monsoon is prominent in most years during the summer, as strong flow from the west or southwest.\u00a0 In 2010 the monsoon was very weak and rising summer water temperatures (and coral bleaching) were correlated with this absence. The normal wind patterns reappeared in 2011.\u00a0 2020 was another weak monsoon year, corresponding to an ongoing La Ni\u00f1a.[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”17916″ img_size=”full” qode_css_animation=”” css=”.vc_custom_1613373667128{padding-top: 25px !important;padding-bottom: 25px !important;}”][vc_column_text]In this bubble plot the magnitude (strength) of the wind speed is indicated by the relative size of bubbles, with time in years on the horizontal axis and wind direction on the vertical axis. The plot clearly shows that in most years the westerly monsoon winds (summer) are stronger than the northeast trade winds (winter).\u00a0 Data shows the relatively weak westerly monsoon in 2010 and 2020 which correlates with coral bleaching.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern” background_color=”#ffffff”][vc_column][qode_elements_holder background_color=”#39a694″ number_of_columns=”two_columns” switch_to_one_column=”1000″][qode_elements_holder_item advanced_animations=”no” item_padding=”20px 9% 30px 9%”][vc_single_image image=”15753″ img_size=”full” qode_css_animation=”” css=”.vc_custom_1491176500169{margin-bottom: 25px !important;}”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Palau Weather Patterns<\/span><\/h3>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_separator type=”transparent” thickness=”1″ up=”10″ down=”0″][vc_column_text]Weather patterns in Palau are well known. Our 13 year data set is not long enough to see patterns relating to climate change, but we can see Palau’s typical weather patterns. The north east trade winds (Dec-May) generally correspond to drier weather in Palau when rainfall is the lowest. The westerly monsoon season (Jul-Sep), when Palau can get strong west\/south westerly winds, corresponds to the wettest season. May-Jun and Oct-Nov tend to be months of transition, when the winds switch from easterly to westerly (May-Jun), or vice versa (Oct-Nov). Generally, the calmest weather is Palau occurs during these transition months. Nov\/Dec are also the peak typhoon season for Palau, when it has the greatest chance of a direct hit by a typhoon. These are average patterns and it’s important to remember that over decades, there can be variation due to the impact of climate influences, such as ENSO and others etc.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/qode_elements_holder_item][qode_elements_holder_item advanced_animations=”no” item_padding=”0px 0px 0px 0px”][vc_gallery interval=”3″ images=”17991,18001,17989,17986,17987,17988″ img_size=”full” onclick=””][\/qode_elements_holder_item][\/qode_elements_holder][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”yes” type=”grid” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern” css=”.vc_custom_1495066788414{padding-top: 75px !important;padding-bottom: 75px !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Why is Weather Important?<\/h3>\n

Wind speed and direction data are important to marine environments, and for understanding the types of waves found in both inshore and offshore environments. Waves are the drivers of island and beach erosion, moving sand one direction or another over time, deleting or enhancing beaches. Ocean waves expend vast amounts of energy on outer reef faces, \u00a0both from distant ocean swell which travels to Palau and more local wind driven waves.\u00a0 The outer\u00a0 reefs serve as buffers to protect more inshore sheltered areas from such wave action. Inner reefs are also impacted by wind waves although ocean swell seldom plays an important role in their development. A number of wave gauges have been placed on the outer reefs of Palau for the last few years to measure the height and period of waves in coming seas. Having local wind information allows us to assess the importance of nearby wind effects on wave energy versus distant swells and waves coming into to hit the reefs.<\/p>\n

The meteorological data collected from the Ngeanges and Jellyfish Lake weather stations will be used for Jellyfish Lake<\/a> modeling. The lake sits in a basin sheltered by surrounding hills, protected from the strongest winds, and overall has much less impact from wind energy than nearby rock island areas. Wind and \u2018waves\u2019 are the major factors causing mixing of the water column in the lake and knowing the relationships between atmospheric conditions and the biological and physical parameters of the lake is important.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”grid” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern” background_color=”#ffffff” css=”.vc_custom_1495066811882{padding-top: 75px !important;padding-bottom: 75px !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

El Ni\u00f1o\u2013Southern Oscillation (ENSO)<\/h3>\n

ENSO is a climate phenomenon that periodically fluctuates between 3 phases: Neutral, El Ni\u00f1o or La Ni\u00f1a. ENSO extremes (El Ni\u00f1o and La Ni\u00f1a) can cause serious environmental change in Palau such as coral mortality and a crash of the famous golden jellyfish population.\u00a0\u00a0 In Palau, located in the far western Pacific, ENSO extremes produce conditions that are different from other geographic areas (such as the central and eastern Pacific). These ENSO fluctuations in Palau are characterized as:<\/p>\n

El Ni\u00f1o – Low sea water temperatures, shallow thermoclines and low mean sea levels- generally good for corals in the intermediate depth ranges. However, shallow water corals can be fatally exposed to air during times of low mean sea levels, while mesophotic (deep reef) corals can bleach and die from extreme low temperatures (<15\u00b0C) and rapid temperature fluctuations.\u00a0 Very strong El Ni\u00f1os also bring extreme drought- we believe this lack of rain was important in the population crash of the golden jelly in Jellyfish Lake in 1999 and 2016.<\/p>\n

La Ni\u00f1a – High sea water temperatures and high mean sea levels- high temperatures extend to depths below coral growth (60 m +) so the entire water column is excessively warm with no cool deeper refuge.\u00a0 This causes coral bleaching and mortality throughout the water column, and was the cause of the massive coral bleaching in Palau in 1998. Corals on shallow flats, regularly exposed to very high temperatures, often survive the high water temperatures associated with La Ni\u00f1as.\u00a0 Mean sea level is also high, but this does not adversely affect reefs through aerial exposure.<\/p>\n

ENSO extremes, particularly El Ni\u00f1os, likely serve to limit the depth of Palau coral reefs<\/a> to only about 60 m.<\/p>\n

Images reproduced by permission of Bureau of Meteorology, \u00a9 2017 Commonwealth of Australia[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”25px”][vc_gallery type=”image_grid” images=”17797,17799,17798″ img_size=”full” column_number=”3″ grayscale=”no” images_space=”gallery_with_space”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern”][vc_column]

\n

“Typhoons are not uncommon, but records for Palau are poor.”\u00a0(Spennemann, 2004)<\/span><\/h4>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”grid” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern” css=”.vc_custom_1495066897944{padding-top: 50px !important;padding-bottom: 50px !important;}”][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”15753″ img_size=”full” qode_css_animation=”” css=”.vc_custom_1491176500169{margin-bottom: 25px !important;}”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Typhoons<\/h3>\n

Despite the widespread belief that Palau is below the typhoon belt in the western Pacific, it has been affected by typhoons many times in the past. An updated general review<\/a> of typhoons affecting Palau was prepared in 2014 by CRRF, following typhoons Bopha (2012) and Haiyan (2013), which both had lasting effects on the environment.\u00a0 Since 1945 twenty storms, an average of 1 typhoon every 3 years (\u226564kt winds), has come within 200 nautical miles (nmi) of Palau.\u00a0 Of these, 8 were within 35 nmi of Palau.\u00a0 Northern Palau is more likely to be affected than the south, and November\/December is considered the ‘peak’ typhoon season.<\/p>\n

Storms passing to the south produce winds from an easterly direction, and storms passing to the north produce winds from the west.\u00a0 Every storm is different but patterns tend to be the same.\u00a0 Storms approach from the east and as they pass the wind direction clocks around the compass so it’s easy to tell when the storm is moving away.\u00a0 Storms can have different wind strengths, but can also vary in the amount of rain they will drop and storm surge they produce.<\/p>\n

North to south Palau’s main islands span a distance of 93 miles (150km) so it is not unusual for one part of Palau to be more affected than another.\u00a0 The most recent typhoons, Bopha and Haiyan, did just this.\u00a0 Bopha went 25 nmi south of Angaur, impacting Peleliu and Angaur with very strong easterly winds, with lesser winds to the north.\u00a0 Despite the distance it also produced a large storm surge that impacted the entire east coast of Babeldaob.\u00a0 The next year Haiyan passed directly over Kayangel at super typhoon strength, devastating the islands of that atoll, while Peleliu and Anguar, far to the south, barely felt any effects.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern” css=”.vc_custom_1491784135197{background-color: #ffffff !important;}”][vc_column][qode_elements_holder number_of_columns=”two_columns” switch_to_one_column=”1000″][qode_elements_holder_item advanced_animations=”no”][vc_gallery interval=”3″ images=”16966,16967,16968,16969,16970,16971,16972″ img_size=”full”][\/qode_elements_holder_item][qode_elements_holder_item advanced_animations=”no” item_padding=”0px 0px 0px 0px”][vc_gallery interval=”3″ images=”16954,16955,16956,16957,16958,16959,16960,16961,16962,16963,16964,16965″ img_size=”full”][\/qode_elements_holder_item][\/qode_elements_holder][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”yes” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern”][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”16973″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” qode_css_animation=””][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”center” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern” css=”.vc_custom_1491342177495{padding-top: 50px !important;background-color: #e2d62d !important;}”][vc_column][vc_widget_sidebar sidebar_id=”Oceanography Weather Menu” el_class=”extra”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”grid” angled_section=”no” text_align=”center” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern” z_index=”” background_color=”#ffffff” css=”.vc_custom_1616360747114{padding-top: 50px !important;padding-bottom: 50px !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text] Weather and climate variation play an important role in the functioning and structure of…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":15797,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"full_width.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/coralreefpalau.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/15666"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/coralreefpalau.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/coralreefpalau.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coralreefpalau.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coralreefpalau.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15666"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/coralreefpalau.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/15666\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18459,"href":"https:\/\/coralreefpalau.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/15666\/revisions\/18459"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coralreefpalau.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/15797"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/coralreefpalau.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15666"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}