Category Archives: Meteorology

The Flying Enterprise story of Man vs. the Sea

Posted on December 23, 2015 by Fred Pickhardt

During Christmas Week, 1951, began an incredible sea story involving a WWII era cargo vessel named the Flying Enterprise and her captain, Kurt Carlsen.  Captain Carlsen was a Danish-born seaman that began his sea career at the age of 14. … Continue reading →

Posted in Meteorology, Ocean Storms, Weather History | Tagged , , , , , , , | 21 Comments

1950 Super Storm Remembered

Posted on November 24, 2015 by Fred Pickhardt

I was only 2 years old at the time but still have some hazy distant memory of a storm that may have initiated my interest in meteorology later in life. I was living in Passaic, NJ at the time in … Continue reading →

Posted in Meteorology, Ocean Storms, Weather History | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Recent SOI values suggest rapid end to El Nino

Posted on November 24, 2015 by Fred Pickhardt

The SOI measures the difference in surface air pressure between Tahiti and Darwin. Sustained positive SOI values above about +8 indicate a La Niña event while sustained negative values below about –8 indicate an El Niño. Positive values indicate enhanced … Continue reading →

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What is the role of the oceans in Global Warming/Climate Change?

Posted on November 12, 2015 by Fred Pickhardt

  There has been much press and controversy in recent years about global warming or climate change.  Opinions range from doomsday scenarios to absolute disbelief.  As a meteorologist (not climatologist), I say that the truth is somewhere in between these … Continue reading →

Posted in Climate Change, Meteorology | Tagged , , | 6 Comments

About Optimum Ship Routing

Posted on November 1, 2015 by Fred Pickhardt

A short history of weather routing The earliest form of ship routing may have been when early humans used the prevailing easterly winds to sail from island to island in the Pacific or when Arab traders sailed portions of the … Continue reading →

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Mariner’s Guide to Ocean Waves

Posted on October 29, 2015 by Fred Pickhardt

There are five types of ocean waves: 1. Wind generated 2. Tides 3. Seiches 4. Tsunamis 5. Pressure induced 1. Wind-Generated Wind-generated waves are the most common waves found on the ocean and are the result from stress on the … Continue reading →

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