Robert's post.....

If you are heading out to Quail Hollow this week the weather looks almost ideal through Saturday. As I will be heading out there Tomorrow morning, I look forward to 80s, sunshine, and following Freddie Couples. Late afternoon showers and thunderstorms Saturday with a better chance of some delays on the final day Sunday. Will see if Padriag can turn it around and if Tiger can handle the public gallery.

I will shift my focus to the Gulf of Mexico where last weeks platform explosion and has led to a pretty extensive oil leak. The BP owned oil platform “ Deep-water Horizon” which exploded and sank last week is currently spewing around 5,000 barrels a day, a number quite higher than previously thought. The Platform is located about 50 miles off the Louisianan coast neighboring with what biologist call the “Fertile Crescent” of the Gulf of Mexico. The past few day winds had shifted from the north and the oil slick was being pushed away from the coast. However, Today will bring about strong Southeasterly winds that will remain for a few days, adding to fears of a coastal environmental disaster.

The coast guard had planned to light the oil slick yesterday evening to increase chances of collecting the oil from the spill. After combustion and burning of the oil, the residue left behind is a thicker tar like substance that is easier for collecting with netting. If the oil spill continues to go unstopped it has the potential of affecting the fertile crescent of marine and terrestrial based wildlife. This is substantially worsened by the timing since many organism are in the peak of their mating season.

Weather wise the burning of the oil slick will lead to an increase of sulfate base aerosols in the lower stratosphere which can affect cloud growth and development as well as an increase in acidic rain fall.

We should expect the political theater around off shore drilling to increase in the next few weeks after this spill coincides with Obama's recent interest in increased offshore drilling. It should also be noted that currently BP is responsible for footing the bill with the recovery and handling of this oil spill with of course the help of the US Coast guard and other government agencies.

Robert Elvington

robert.elvington@gmail.com