During last night’s full moon (lunar) eclipse, most of Hawaii and California was socked in under heavy rain clouds caused by a major storm on the Pineapple Express. The best photo I’ve seen of the eclipse comes from NASA.
Category Archives: Environment
What if the BP Gulf oil spill had occurred in Hawaii?
What would Hawaii look like if the BP Gulf oil spill had happened here instead of Louisiana?
I wondered which islands would it effect, given the spill’s current size, and found an interactive map that moves the spill to any location. Disturbingly, if the spill was centered in Honolulu, it would coat O’ahu, Kaua’i, Moloka’i and Maui.
If the spill grows as expected, it would reach all of the islands within a few weeks. It would be an epic disaster, given our rare and endangered plant and animal life, dependency on beach tourism, and general reliance on the ocean for food and recreation. Perhaps this puts into better perspective what the people in the Gulf are suffering.
Earthquake in Chile generates tsunami to hit Hawaii
Tsunami warning systems are firing on all of the Hawaiian islands today. An earthquake in Chile of magnitude 8.8 is causing the big wave to ripple across the Pacific. Wave heights are expected to be relatively small, between 3 and 7 feet, compared to the natural tide. Forecasters at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predict that the tide will rise 5 feet along coastal areas within 15 minutes at about 11:20 am HST. NOAA forecasters are also calling for increased tides in coastal areas along the West coast. If in doubt, move to higher ground.