KEYS TOURISM ADVISORY 18 May 24, 2010 • 11 AM
News and Information From the Monroe County Tourist Development Council
TDC BOLSTERS GULF OIL SPILL INFO ON WEBSITE
The Monroe County Tourist Development Council has added more elements to its website to communicate accurate information regarding the relationship of the Transocean/BP oil spill in the northern Gulf of Mexico to the Florida Keys.
On the www.fla-keys.com home page is a link to a special spill section, as well as a prominent connection to live webcams, so potential visitors can see the area for themselves. The current “Video of the Week” feature shows Key West Mayor Craig Cates correcting misperceptions that the Florida Keys & Key West have already been impacted by the Gulf oil spill.
“We know the travel consumer is hungry for accurate information,” said TDC Director Harold Wheeler. “Ever since we posted the first spill-related news story on April 28, we’ve had more than 75,000 spill-related page views on our site.”
All information published is based on official authorities including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Coast Guard, Florida Division of Emergency Management and Monroe County Emergency Management.
The special spill section features 72-hour-in-advance oil slick trajectory graphics that can be enlarged and clearly show NOAA’s projected positions and oil densities in both the northern Gulf of Mexico and Loop Current.
The page also has a quick overview of the status of the Keys for visitors as well as links to resources for specific oil spill-related information.
News stories and a question-and-answer page regarding the Keys and the Gulf oil spill can be accessed from the special page.
Meanwhile, light oil sheen and isolated tar balls continue to remain significantly west of the Keys according to the latest NOAA trajectory models. Wednesday’s forecast shows oil residue to be positioned some 300 miles to the northwest of Key West.
On Saturday, at a special Key West City Commission meeting, federal officials expressed their confidence that with exposure to heat, weather, dispersants and evaporation, any of the oil sheen presently in the Gulf Loop Current that might get close to the Keys would likely transform into small tar balls. Tar balls, they said, would mean significantly fewer environmental consequences than aqueous oil.
"A (oil) sheen over time will break down, will become weathered (and) will evaporate." said Captain Pat DeQuattro of the U.S. Coast Guard Key West Sector. "If we’re to be impacted, it will more likely be tar balls."
Even if tar balls make their way into the Florida Straits they could be far enough offshore that they completely miss the Keys, officials added.
Showing posts with label florida key oil spill. Show all posts
Showing posts with label florida key oil spill. Show all posts
Monday, May 24, 2010
Gulf Spill Oil Sheen and Tar Balls Forecast to Remain West of Keys
KEYS TOURISM ADVISORY 17 May 21, 2010 • 1 PM
News and Information From the Monroe County Tourist Development Council
NOAA Forecast: Gulf Spill Oil Sheen, Tar Balls Forecast to Remain West of Keys
Oil trajectory maps, released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration show light and very light sheens of oil and scattered tar balls from the Gulf oil spill in the Loop Current remaining well to the west of the Florida Keys through Sunday. The same forecast is likely to continue further into next week.
According to NOAA, the forecast position of the southern point of the sheen on Sunday is about 300 miles to the west of Key West.
Meanwhile, NOAA analysis show most of the oil, especially heavy concentrations, has not entered the Loop Current.
During a news conference late Thursday, NOAA administrator Dr. Jane Lubchenco reiterated that finding and stated, "If you look at the satellite images, it is obvious that the bulk of the oil is far away from the Loop Current."
If any of the oil makes it to the vicinity of the Florida Straits, it would be highly weathered and both the natural process of evaporation and the application of dispersants would reduce the oil volume significantly, Lubchenco said.
Oil entrained in the Loop Current would require persistent onshore winds or an eddy on the edge of the Loop Current for it to reach the Florida shoreline. If this were to occur, the weathered and diluted oil would likely appear in isolated locations in the form of tar balls, NOAA wrote in a statement.
On Thursday, Florida Gov. Charlie Crist added Monroe County, in the Florida Keys, to a list of two-dozen Florida counties already under a state of emergency declaration. Even though no Florida county has seen oil, the declaration was issued so counties can pre-qualify for federal reimbursement funding and individual business loans, if needed.
News and Information From the Monroe County Tourist Development Council
NOAA Forecast: Gulf Spill Oil Sheen, Tar Balls Forecast to Remain West of Keys
Oil trajectory maps, released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration show light and very light sheens of oil and scattered tar balls from the Gulf oil spill in the Loop Current remaining well to the west of the Florida Keys through Sunday. The same forecast is likely to continue further into next week.
According to NOAA, the forecast position of the southern point of the sheen on Sunday is about 300 miles to the west of Key West.
Meanwhile, NOAA analysis show most of the oil, especially heavy concentrations, has not entered the Loop Current.
During a news conference late Thursday, NOAA administrator Dr. Jane Lubchenco reiterated that finding and stated, "If you look at the satellite images, it is obvious that the bulk of the oil is far away from the Loop Current."
If any of the oil makes it to the vicinity of the Florida Straits, it would be highly weathered and both the natural process of evaporation and the application of dispersants would reduce the oil volume significantly, Lubchenco said.
Oil entrained in the Loop Current would require persistent onshore winds or an eddy on the edge of the Loop Current for it to reach the Florida shoreline. If this were to occur, the weathered and diluted oil would likely appear in isolated locations in the form of tar balls, NOAA wrote in a statement.
On Thursday, Florida Gov. Charlie Crist added Monroe County, in the Florida Keys, to a list of two-dozen Florida counties already under a state of emergency declaration. Even though no Florida county has seen oil, the declaration was issued so counties can pre-qualify for federal reimbursement funding and individual business loans, if needed.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)