Buresh Blog: March Numbers, April Averages...JEA Smart Watering...Ian NHC Report... Neil Frank Award

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — March in Jacksonville had near average rainfall & was warmer than average with 3 record highs & 1 record high low.

April averages at JIA:

As we enter mid to late spring, Jax/NE Fl./SE Ga. has a tendency to dry out before the start of the wet season which is usually late May into June.... From JEA:

Spring is here, and the change in seasons means consistently warmer weather. With higher temperatures come more outdoor activities and thirstier lawns, which is why it’s important to start thinking now about ways to save water.

We encourage you to look for ways to cut back on your water consumption, in your home and around your yard. When everyone conserves, it can help prevent potential low pressure issues during periods of peak demand.

Here are a few suggestions:

Irrigate smart. Follow these tips to maintain a healthy lawn while saving water and money.

• Follow your watering days and water during off-peak hours in the early mornings before sunrise.
• Avoid watering during the day, when evaporation and runoff can waste up to 50 percent of water used for irrigation.
• Avoid late-morning or late-afternoon waterings, which can extend the ‘dew period’ and contribute to turfgrass disease.
• Consider watering just once per week.

Use efficient, low-flow shower heads and toilets. They can significantly cut down on the water you consume. Visit jea.com/rebates to learn more about savings on water-efficient appliances and tools.

Identify and repair leaks. Water leaks, especially in running toilets, are the No. 1 reason customers see their consumption increase.

Redesign your landscape with Florida native plants that thrive with less water.

The National Hurricane Center has issued their report on hurricane Ian in late Sept., 2022. The biggest change/update was to upgrade Ian to a Cat. 5 briefly while over the Southeast Gulf of Mexico. Ian will remain a Cat. 4 landfall on Sept. 29th near Fort Myers Beach. See the “Buresh Blog”: “Infamous Ian - A Blow by Blow”

I spent a couple of days in Fort Myers in late March 6 months after landfall. One organization - “FK Your Diet” is doing a lot of work on the ground trying to especially feed survivors, construction workers & first responders.

A big congratulations to Leslie Chapman-Henderson, a true champion for hurricane readiness & mitigation - see FLASH (Federal Alliance for Safe Homes). From the National Hurricane Conference:

This year the conference’s highest honor, the Neil Frank award, was presented to Leslie Chapman-Henderson. She is the first female recipient of the award which is presented to an individual for making a major impact in the areas of hurricane preparedness, response, recovery, mitigation or related fields through truly exceptional and original improvements. The impact of those improvements must be national or international in scope. “Leslie has been a national leader in achieving resilience in preparing for the impacts of tropical cyclones since the devastation of Hurricane Andrew in 1992,” said Bill Read, Former Director of the National Hurricane Center and NHC Awards Committee member. “Advances in building codes have been outstanding largely due to her leadership through FLASH,” said Read.

A national preparedness campaign aimed at reducing flood fatalities, Turn Around, Don’t Drown, became a national success story when FLASH partnered with the National Weather Service to rollout the campaign. In 2008, under Chapman-Henderson’s leadership, FLASH and Disney opened the interactive weather experience StormStruck: A Tale of Two Homes. FLASH also created #HurricaneStrong, a community-based hurricane preparedness initiative.

The award is named after Neil L. Frank, Atmospheric scientist; former Director of the National Hurricane Center (NHC) in Florida from 1974-1987. He was instrumental in advancing both the scientific and informational aspects of hurricane forecasting.

April/Early May night skies, courtesy: Sky & Telescope:

Apr. 6 (evening): The nearly full Moon rises in the southeast trailing Spica by less than 5°.

Apr. 9 (evening): The waning gibbous Moon rises less than 1° from Antares, the Scorpion’s heart.

Apr. 10,11 (evening): Venus is 2½° left of the Pleiades above the western horizon.

Apr. 16 (dawn): Look toward east-southeast to spot the waning crescent Moon less than 5° below Saturn.

Apr. 20: At New Moon (12:13 a.m. EDT), a total solar eclipse will be visible from small slivers of western Australia, easternmost Indonesia, and Timor-Leste. Wider swaths of the southwest Pacific will see a partial solar eclipse.

Apr. 22 (dusk): The waxing crescent Moon hangs between Venus (6° to the upper left) and the Pleiades (7° lower right).

Apr. 23 (dusk): The Moon is 5° to the upper left of Venus.

Apr. 25 (evening): The Moon, two days shy of first quarter, sits in Gemini less than 3° to the right of Mars.

Apr. 27 (evening): The first-quarter Moon is 4° above the Beehive Cluster (M44) in Cancer.

Apr. 29 (evening): The waxing gibbous Moon sits 5° to the upper left of Regulus.

May 3 (evening): The waxing gibbous Moon, in Virgo, is 2° to the upper left of Spica.

May 5 (all night): A penumbral lunar eclipse will be visible across much of Europe, most of Africa, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand.

May 6 (morning): The Eta Aquariid meteor shower peaks, but a nearly full Moon will severely hamper the display.

May 7 (morning): Early risers can see the waning gibbous Moon 2½° to the right of Antares.

Moon Phases:

Full Moon April 4 12:35 a.m. EDT (Pink Moon)

Last Quarter April 13 5:11 a.m. EDT

New Moon April 20 12:13 a.m. EDT

First Quarter April 28 5:20 p.m. EDT