Tracking a Storm Event on the Wax Lake Delta

In this activity you will investigate how a storm event passing over the delta effects environmental conditions, using real data collected by scientists and government agencies.  You will track weather and water conditions near and on the delta, examining the passage of a cold front event during February 2015 and the landfall of Hurricane Gustav in 2008.  

Understanding a graph of NOAA Weather Observatory Data

1.    What does the red line on this graph indicate? _____________________________ 

2.    What unit is used to measure wind speed? ____________ 

3.    On this graph, what unit is used to measure time? ____________ 

4.    On what dates was this data collected? __________________________________ 

5.    On what day(s) was the wind speed the highest? ____________________
On what day(s) was the wind speed the highest? ____________________

6.    What do the small blue dots and arrows mean? _____________________________
    ___________________________________________________________________

7.    On what days was the wind gusting mostly to the north (the arrows would be pointing toward the top of the graph)? _____________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________

8.    On what days was the wind gusting mostly to the south (the arrows would be pointing toward the bottom of the graph)? __________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________

9.    What might be responsible for the shift in the wind pattern?  What is your evidence?
___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________

Understanding a graph of NOAA Weather Observatory Data

1.    What does the blue line on this graph indicate? _____________________________ 

2.    What unit is used to measure barometric pressure? ____________ 

3.    On this graph, what unit is used to measure time? ____________ 

4.    On what dates was this data collected? __________________________________ 

5.    At Point A on the graph, what was the barometric pressure at the observatory? ____
At Point B on the graph, what was the barometric pressure at the observatory? ____

6.    Draw a vertical line in this graph that will divide this graph into two pieces.  Each piece should have similar characteristics.

7.    What is similar in the pattern of barometric pressure on the left hand side of your vertical line? ________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________

8.    What is similar in the pattern of barometric pressure on the right hand side of your vertical line? ________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________

9.    What might be responsible for the shift from the pattern on the left to the pattern on the right?  What is your evidence?
___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________

Data Sources

Water Level, Velocity, Turbidity, and Temperature Data

Time: 2015-2-14 to 2015-2-20

Station: The Wax Lake Delta Sensor Database, Mike3

Wind speed, Air Pressure, and Air Temperature Data

Time: 2015-2-14 to 2015-2-20

Station: NOAA Tide and Currents, 8764227 LAWMA, Amerada Pass, LA

Water Salinity, Level, and Temperature Data

Time: 2015-2-14 to 2015-2-20

Station: CPRA-CIMS, CRMS0479

Data Stations

Click here to find out more about data stations.