Ocean Surface Temperature Changes During Hurricane Season*

GEOSC 040 – Homework #1

Ocean Surface Temperature Changes During Hurricane Season*

*adapted from My Nasa Data Lessons

Questions about this exercise should be directed to Teaching Assistant, Marsella Kachingwe

Name:

PSU access ID:

Please complete the assignment by typing in your answers and then uploading this template to the Angel Dropbox. Please be neat with your formatting.

1) Storm Locations and Intensities.

Date / Latitude / Longitude / Category
Hurricane Rita / September 22, 2005
Hurricane Isaac / August 29, 2012

2) Sea Surface Temperature Map for Hurricane Rita

[COPY IMAGE FROM WEB SITE AND INSERT HERE]

Figure 1. Map of sea surface temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico during Hurricane Rita

3)Sea Surface Temperature Through Time (Line Plot) for Hurricane Rita

[COPY IMAGE FROM WEB SITE AND INSERT HERE]

Figure 2. Line plot of sea surface temperature from [DATE] to [DATE] at [LATITUDE], [LONGITUDE] during Hurricane Rita. The hurricane passed this location on [DATE].

4) Sea Surface Temperature Map for Hurricane Issac

[COPY IMAGE FROM WEB SITE AND INSERT HERE]

Figure 3. Map of sea surface temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico during Hurricane Isaac

4) Sea Surface Temperature Through Time (Line Plot) for Hurricane Issac

[COPY IMAGE FROM WEB SITE AND INSERT HERE]

Figure 4. Line plot of sea surface temperature from [DATE] to [DATE] at [LATITUDE], [LONGITUDE] during Hurricane Isaac. The hurricane passed this location on [DATE].

5) Check to make sure that your report template is complete

[DON’T FORGET TO UPDATE THE DATES AND LATS/LONS IN THE CAPTIONS, ABOVE]

6) Analysis/Discussion Questions

Please type your answers and respond in complete and coherent sentences. Don’t forget to include units (days, degrees C, etc.)

6.1) Compare the behavior of the sea surface temperature immediately before and immediately after the hurricane passes over each location.

a. What was the initial sea surface temperature immediately before Hurricane Rita? What was initial sea surface temperature before Hurricane Isaac?

b. What was the maximum drop in temperature during Hurricane Rita? During Hurricane Isaac?

c.How long did it take for the sea surface temperature to drop and then reach a new temperature high after Hurricane Rita passed? After Hurricane Isaac?

6.2) How do the intensities of Rita and Isaac compare? How does the change in sea surface temperature relate to the difference in storm category?