Hurricanes and the Oil Spill: A Factsheet and Frequent Quest

[brunota2003]

Saw yesterday on the NHC site...notice this is a .pdf file!

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/pdf/hurricanes_ ... tsheet.pdf

[Jagno]

Saw yesterday on the NHC site...notice this is a .pdf file!

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/pdf/hurricanes_ ... tsheet.pdf

Thank you for sharing this link. Most of us here along the Gulf Coast have a terrible feeling on what the impact of an oily hurricane will do to our land, property and most importantly our water aquifers. There was no mention of the chemical dispersents used in conjuction with the sour crude but I suppose we will find out way sooner than we want.

[barometerJane61]

My internet connection is too slow but I have been wondering about the impact of the oil will mean to the hurricane season.I did hear someone on the news mention the fact that black absorbs heat which could mean a deadlier season

[Jagno]

This is part of the printed information in the link above for those that can't access it.
What will happen to a hurricane that runs through
this oil slick?• Most hurricanes span an enormous area of the
ocean (200-300 miles) — far wider than the
current size of the spill.
• If the slick remains small in comparison to a
typical hurricane’s general environment and size,
the anticipated impact on the hurricane would
be minimal.
• The oil is not expected to appreciably affect either
the intensity or the track of a fully developed
tropical storm or hurricane.
• The oil slick would have little effect on the storm
surge or near-shore wave heights.
• The high winds and seas will mix and “weather”
the oil which can help accelerate the
biodegradation process.
• The high winds may distribute oil over a wider
area, but it is difficult to model exactly where the
oil may be transported.
• Movement of oil would depend greatly on the
track of the hurricane.
• Storms’ surges may carry oil into the coastline
and inland as far as the surge reaches. Debris
resulting from the hurricane may be contaminated
by oil from the Deepwater Horizon incident, but
also from other oil releases that may occur during
the storm.
• A hurricane’s winds rotate counter-clockwise.
Thus, in VERY GENERAL TERMS:
* A hurricane passing to the west of the oil slick
could drive oil to the coast.
* A hurricane passing to the east of the slick
could drive the oil away from the coast.
* However, the details of the evolution of the
storm, the track, the wind speed, the size, the
forward motion and the intensity are all
unknowns at this point and may alter this
general statement.

[Blown Away]

The media is just starting to talk about the hurricane season effects on the efforts to stop and cleanup the spill. Everybody on this board knows all the pieces are falling into place for an historic season. Unfortunately June GOM storms move in the general area of this spill. It's gonna happen and there is not enough time to get this spill/cleanup under control. It makes me very sad.

[myred]

What about the possibility of a storm picking up oil from the Gulf and raining down on land areas. Just a thought. Is that possible?

Myred

[RL3AO]

What about the possibility of a storm picking up oil from the Gulf and raining down on land areas. Just a thought. Is that possible?

Myred

It can't. Oil doesn't evaporate into clouds like water. Its not a tornado. It doesn't "pick" stuff up.

[Category 5]

Excellent writeup by the NHC, wish news networks would cite this.