This is the archive for stories that have appeared on the NOAA home page in 2002. Click here for Archive 2003, Archive 2001, Archive 2000, and Archive 1999. December Recovered Silverware from USS Monitor Reveals Names of Four Crewmembers; Several Pieces on Display at the Mariners' Museum in Newport News NOAA Research Supercomputer Now the 8th Fastest Supercomputer in the World West Coast Bears Brunt of Pacific Winter Storms Santa Asks NOAA: Who Will Have a White Christmas? NOAA Reports 2002 Was Marked by Widespread Drought in the U.S., Return of El Niño and Warm Global Temperature NOAA Says El Niño to Influence U.S. Weather NOAA Holds Satellite Data Users Conference for the Americas; Future NOAA Satellite Improvements Affect All Users Winter Storm Leaves Long Track of Snow, Ice Across the U.S. NOAA and The Mariners' Museum Successfully Complete First Phase of Monitor Turret Excavation; Museum Sets Sights on Conservation and Separating Cannons from Gun Carriages 29 Years of U.S. Climate Maps Now on New CD-ROM Climate Atlas by the NOAA National Climatic Data Center Strategy for Climate Change Research Defined at Science Workshop; Collaboration among 13 Government Agencies, Academia and the Public Lays Groundwork for next Five Years of U.S.-led Climate Change Science November NOAA Sends Oil Spill Experts to Spain; Team Advises on Oil Spill Response & Restoration El Niño Suppressed Hurricanes in 2002 Season, NOAA Reports; Lili Was First Land-falling Hurricane In Three Years From Beach Ball to Exhibit Hall NOAA Science on a Sphere Debuts Physicians Receive Top-notch Training in Dive Medicine at NOAA's Diving Center Climate Science Workshop Set for December in Washington, D.C. October 2002: Cooler and Wetter than Normal Throughout Much of the Nation; Weather Patterns Help to Reduce Drought Florida Keys Coral Reefs First in U.S. to Receive International Protection; One of Only Five Sensitive Sea Areas in the World Early Warnings Save Many Lives During Tornado Outbreak El Niño on Track to Influence U.S. Winter, NOAA Reports; Forecasters Monitor Warming Ocean Temperatures October El Niño Expected to Influence Central U.S. Winter Weather NOAA to Dedicate Special Collections Room Pocket Knives, Wool Coat, Key, Coins and Silverware Some of Many Artifacts Recovered During Excavation Inside USS Monitor's Turret NOAA's Hurricane Aircraft Get Breather after Grueling Back-to-back Flights Hikers and Outdoor Adventurers to Have Same Satellite Protection as Pilots and Mariners; NOAA and its Partners Celebrate 20th Anniversary of International Search and Rescue Satellite Aided Tracking Program NOAA National Weather Service Issues Safety Reminder on 40th Anniversary of Record Columbus Day Windstorm Kyle Hugging the South Carolina Coast Kyle Regains Tropical Storm Strength for Fourth Time Kyle Approaching the South Carolina Coast El Niño on Track to Influence U.S. Winter; Prepare for El Niño's Drier and Warmer Winter, NOAA Experts Tell Northwest Officials Kyle Moving West-northwest near Northeast Florida Coast; Kyle Is the Fifth Longest-lived Atlantic Basin Storm on Record NOAA Issues La Plata Tornado Service Assessment Report NOAA Research Radar Captures Images of Hurricane Lili at Landfall Lili Continues to Weaken Lili Made Landfall as a Category Two Hurricane on the Western Edge of Vermillion Bay, the First Hurricane to Make Landfall in the United States since Irene in 1999 Lili Remains an Extremely Dangerous Category 4 Hurricane; Deadly 10 to 20 Foot Storm Surge Approaching the Gulf Coast; NOAA Warns Final Preparations to Protect Life and Property Should Be Rushed to Completion Now; Follow Advice from Local Emergency Managers Extremely Dangerous Category 4 Lili Continues Northwest Toward the Northwestern U.S. Gulf Coast; NOAA Warns Preparations to Protect Life and Property in the Hurricane Warning Area Should Be Rushed to Completion Lili Strengthens Rapidly to Dangerous Category 4 Hurricane; NOAA Warns Preparations to Protect Life and Property in the Hurricane Warning Area Should Be Rushed to Completion Lili Becomes Major Hurricane and Continues Northwest Toward the Gulf Coast Lili Continues to Get Better Organized and Poised to Strengthen Even More over the Southeast Gulf of Mexico Lili Enters the Southeastern Gulf of Mexico and Continues to Strengthen Lili Becomes Category 2 Hurricane as Eye Moves Across Western Cuba Lili Strikes Western Cuba and Gets Stronger September Lili Continuing to Get Better Organized and Taking Aim on the Isle of Youth and Western Cuba Conditions Improving in the Caymans; Western Cuba next Target Unusually Small Antarctic Ozone Hole this Year Attributed to Exceptionally Strong Stratospheric Weather, NOAA and NASA Report Lili Becomes the Fourth Hurricane of the 2002 Season Lili Moving Slowly near Jamaica Lili Getting Stronger While Meandering near the Northwestern Coast of Jamaica Lili Moving Slowly Northwest Lili Still Meandering as it Organizes Lili Moving Slowly North-Northwest NOAA Unveils Comprehensive Web Site on Coral Reefs NOAA Releases First National Study of U.S. Coral Reefs; New Report Highlights Key Actions and Addresses Threats Lili Regains Tropical Storm Strength Isidore Weakens to a Tropical Depression; All Tropical Storm Warnings Discontinued Isidore Moving Farther Inland and Beginning to Weaken Isidore Brings Torrential Rains to Gulf Coast Isidore Continuing Northward Toward the Northern Gulf Coast Tropical Storm Isidore Proves the Perfect Candidate for NOAA's Rapid Intensification Study Isidore Moving Northward with Little Change in Strength Isidore Moving North-Northwest; Watches and Warnings Issued for the Northern Gulf Coast Isidore Continues Slow Motion over the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico Isidore Meandering over the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico Isidore Inland over Northwest Yucatan and Weakening Isidore Skirting the Northern Yucatan Coast as a Strong Category Three Hurricane Isidore Drifting Westward in the Gulf of Mexico Isidore Continuing to Strengthen and Could Become a Category Four Hurricane Eye of Isidore Entering the Southeastern Gulf of Mexico; Winds and Rains Will Continue over Western Cuba Isidore Makes Landfall over Western Cuba Hurricane Isidore Pounding Cuba Isidore Expected to Spend Friday Crossing the Westernmost Portion of Cuba Accompanied by Torrential Rains Isidore Nearing Hurricane Strength Isidore Gathering Strength in the Northwestern Caribbean NOAA Creates Historical Database on 150 Years of Atlantic Hurricanes Isidore Soaking Jamaica and Is Poised to Strengthen Caribbean Depression Nearing Tropical Storm Strength Tropical Depression Ten Regenerates South of Jamaica Tropical Depression Hanna near Alabama-Georgia Border and Accelerating Northeastward; Tropical Depression Ten Moving Quickly over the Southern Caribbean Hanna Continues to Drift Erratically but is Expected to Move North-northeast Hanna Should Begin the Long Expected Northward Turn 2002 Summer Hot, Dry Across Much of United States; Upper Mid-West Experiences Wetter-than-average Summer Tropical Depression Nine Remains Poorly Organized El Niño to Play Role in Nation's Fall, Winter Weather, NOAA Reports Ninth Tropical Depression of the Season Forms in the Gulf of Mexico; Gustav Racing Northeastward near Nova Scotia NOAA and Air Force Aircraft Indicate Gustav Has Strengthened and Accelerated Gustav Becomes the First Atlantic Hurricane of the 2002 Season Gustav Moving Away from the United States; Still Producing Strong Winds in the Outer Banks Center of Gustav Passing Just East of Cape Hatteras Remnants of Tropical Storm Fay Pose Continued Flood Threat for Texas Gustav Now a Tropical Storm Moving Northward and Approaching the Outer Banks Gustav Continues West-Northwest with Little Change in Strength Remnants of Tropical Storm Fay Pose Continuing Flood Threat in Southern Texas Gustav Continuing West-Northwest Toward the Mid-Atlantic Coast Fay Weakens as it Moves Inland; Heavy Rain Threat Continues; Small Tropical Depression Forms over the Open Atlantic Fay Barely Moving Rains Continue as Fay Remains Stalled Fay Strengthens—Additional Watches and Warnings Issued; Edouard Dissipating Tropical Storm Fay—the Sixth of the Season—forms in the Gulf of Mexico; Tenacious Edouard Moving Westward Weak Depression Edouard Exits the Florida Peninsula Edouard Moves Inland and Weakens to a Tropical Depression Eager Edouard Very Close to the North-central Florida Coast Edouard Maintaining Strength as it Continues Toward the East Coast; Tropical Storm Warning Issued Tropical Storm Edouard Prompts NOAA to Caution on Inland Flooding Edouard Continues to Weaken as it Approaches the East Coast Edouard Stronger but Still Moving Little Edouard Moving Little with No Change in Strength August NOAA Administrator Promotes Role of Global Observations to Sustainable Development at WSSD; Calls for More International Cooperation; Global Observing System Hits Milestone with 500th Argo Float Deployment NOAA Reports Discovery of Japanese World War Ii Submarine; Routine Dive Turns into Historical Event for NOAA Safety Officer Location of the Portland Wreck Confirmed by NOAA; Famed Steamship Rests in Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary Shrimp Overtakes Canned Tuna as Top U.S. Seafood; Overall Seafood Consumption Decreases in 2001 NOAA Chief Stresses Land Use as an Important Key to Ocean Health at World Summit for Sustainable Development; Vice Admiral Lautenbacher to Announce Rollout of Oceans Initiative $4.5 Billion Contract Awarded for Environmental Satellite System of the Future — DoD, NOAA, and NASA Announce NOAA Commemorates 10th Anniversary of Hurricane Andrew After 10 Years, Hurricane Andrew Gains Strength Drought Affects Half of the Contiguous States; Temperatures Much Warmer than 100-year Average in July NOAA and Navy Bring Turret of USS Monitor to Shore; World's Most Famous Artifact from Civil War Ironclad Reaches U.S. Shores Tropical Depression Moves Inland and Expected to Dissipate Later Friday Bertha Remains Very Weak Cristobal Remains Poorly Organized Tropical Depression Bertha a Little Better Organized El Niño Expected to Impact Atlantic Hurricane Season, NOAA Reports Bertha Moving Slowly Toward the Central Texas Coast Bertha Back in the Gulf of Mexico Tropical Storm Cristobal Nearly Stationary Tropical Storm Cristobal Still Drifting Southward Tropical Depression Nearing Tropical Storm Strength NOAA National Weather Service and AWS Convergence Technologies Unveil Homeland Security Initiative; More than 6,000 Schools in Network to Help Protect Lives and Property Tropical Depression Three Forms Southeast of the Carolinas; No Immediate Threat to Land Lengthy Heat Wave about to End in Major Eastern Cities Bertha Now Well Inland Over Southeastern Louisiana; Heavy Rainfall Threat Continues Tropical Storm Bertha Moving over Southeast Louisiana Tropical Storm Bertha Moving Closer to Southeast Louisiana NOAA, Navy Raise Turret of USS Monitor; Civil War Ironclad from Graveyard of the Atlantic July National Tornado Count Remains Lowest since 1988 NOAA Ocean Exploration Investigates Atlantic Deep, Educates Students Drought Developing in Northeast, South May See Improvement More than a Third of the Contiguous States in Drought; U.S. and Global Temperatures Warmer than 100-year Average in June Sun Starts Bubbling Arthur Rapidly Becoming an Extratropical Low Pressure System Over the Far North Atlantic South of Newfoundland Arthur Getting Stronger Over the North Atlantic The First Tropical Storm of the Atlantic Season Strengthens Over the Open Ocean El Niño Makes its Official Return, NOAA Reports Monitor's Historic Gun Turret Closer to Recovery NOAA and Others Study New England Air Quality Storm-tossed Texans Finally See a Ray of Sunshine NOAA Says Feeding and Harassing Wild Dolphins Against Law; Boaters and Tourists Advised to Obey Law, Appreciate Dolphins from a Distance Moisture in the Southwest Dampens Fire Threat; Heavy Rain Continues to Pound San Antonio and South Central Texas NOAA Helps Around the World Balloon Flight June NOAA, Navy, the Mariners' Museum Begin Efforts to Raise USS Monitor's Turret NOAA's New Satellite Sends First Image of Earth NOAA-M Environmental Satellite Successfully Launched Weather Experts Say Very High to Extreme Fire Danger to Continue in Many Areas; NOAA Meteorologists Assisting Firefighters in Six States NOAA Unveils New Process to Help Detect Heat Waves Global Surface Temperatures Much Warmer than Average; Drought Severity Worsens in the West NOAA Forecasters Predict Weather for Firefighters Drought Worsens in West, Eases in East; NOAA Issues Outlook for Summer; Unveils New Fire Detector on NOAA Satellite NOAA Announces New U.S. Funding for Global Climate Observing Efforts Conditions Fuel El Niño Development May Commerce Awards New Climate and Weather Supercomputer Contract to IBM NOAA, NASA to Launch New Environmental Satellite Recent Rainfall Eases Drought in East New Weather Prediction Model to Improve Aviation and Severe Weather Forecasts NOAA Seeking Research and Development Proposals for Projects to Strengthen and Improve the U.S. Fishing Industry; $10.3 Million Available Through Saltonstall-Kennedy Grant Program for FY 2002 NOAA Follows Tropical Disturbance NOAA Keeps Eye on Tropical Disturbance in Caribbean Scientists Return to Where Science Fiction Became Science Fact Snow Storm May Help Fight Colorado Wildfire Iceberg D-17 Breaks off Lazarev Ice Shelf in Antarctica Iceberg D-17 Breaks off Lazarev Ice Shelf in Antarctica Hurricane Forecasters Say 6 to 8 Hurricanes Could Threaten in 2002; NOAA Expects Normal to Slightly above Normal Atlantic Storm Activity NOAA Tracks Exploration of Remarkable Deep-sea Mountain Warm Temperatures and Severe Drought Continued in April Throughout Parts of United States; Global Temperature for April Second Warmest on Record Iceberg C-19 Breaks off Ross Ice Shelf in Antarctica NOAA to Lend Environmental Satellite to Japan, Ensures Continuity of Weather Data over Western Pacific Iceberg C-18 Breaks off Ross Ice Shelf in Antarctica El Niño Expected to Develop by Year's End NOAA Team Ranks Strongest of Maryland Tornadoes at Wind Speeds of up to 260 Miles per Hour NOAA Reports Drought Monitoring to Include All of North America NOAA Fisheries Assists in the Release of Rehabilitated Dolphin "Blondie" NOAA's National Weather Service Begins Service Assessment of Maryland Tornado Outbreak NOAA Reports Frequent Tornadoes Not That Unusual NOAA Meteorologists Learn More about Maryland Tornado NOAA Keeps an Eye on the North Pole April NOAA Surveys Maryland Storm Damage Weekend Weather Leaves Devastating Mark NOAA Warns: Lightning Kills; Safety Highlighted During Lightning Awareness Week USA Experiences First Tornado Fatality of 2002 NOAA Explores Depths of its Five West Coast Marine Sanctuaries on 60-day Sanctuary Quest 2002 NOAA Recognizes 2002 Environmental Heroes Heat Wave, Rains Cause Significant Flooding in Michigan's Upper Peninsula Record Heat Continues, Tornadoes Slam Texas, Floods Hit Michigan Spring Feels like Summer for Most of Nation No Tornado Fatalities Reported in U.S. this Year U.S. Experiences First Cooler-than-average Month since March 2001; Global Temperature for March Warmest on Record NOAA Reports U.S. Could Soon Feel Impacts of El Niño Asian Dust Storm Crosses USA; New One Approaches Japan March Asian Dust Storm Approaching California Coast NOAA's National Hurricane Center Tests Five-day Experimental Forecast Nation Counts Fewest Tornadoes since 1988; NOAA Says Be Prepared as Storm Pattern Intensifies Small Floats Take Ocean's Temperature Heavy Rains, Floods Take Deadly Toll Iceberg Breaks off Thwaites Ice Tongue Record Warm Winter in Much of Midwest and Northeast; Drought Worsens along Eastern Seaboard, NOAA Reports NOAA Reports Droughts May Linger in East / West 2002 Caribbean Hurricane Awareness Tour Takes Wing El Niño Continues to Develop Shells on Ocean Floor Act as Buffer Against Chemical Change over Thousands of Years, NOAA Reports Weekend Arctic Blast Puts Central States in the Freezer from Michigan to Texas NOAA's National Weather Service Unveils New and Improved Web Design February Arctic Blast Tumbles Temperature Records Throughout the South NOAA Satellites Help Save Four Sailors from Atlantic Ocean November 2001 - January 2002 Warmest on Record in U.S.; Global Temperatures Warmest on Record in January Dryness Intensifies on the East Coast New NOAA Research Vessel Named after Sept. 11 Victim President Bush Visits NOAA Exhibits NOAA's Field Study Targets West Coast Storms NOAA, National Park Service, Spearhead Emergency Coral Reef Restoration Activities in Florida's Dry Tortugas United States Extends Ban on Shark Finning to Pacific Ocean; Wasteful Practice Now Prohibited Throughout U.S. Iceberg C-17 Breaks off Matusevich Glacier Tongue in Antarctica Ocean Currents Slow, Causing Warmer Ocean and less CO2 Input to Atmosphere, Say NOAA Scientists NOAA Predicts Sea Surface Temperatures Will Rise in Eastern Tropical Pacific; Forecasters' Confidence Increases That El Niño Will Develop President's Budget for NOAA Focuses on Stewardship and Environmental Science NOAA Satellites Help Rescue 166 People in U.S. in 2001 January Winter Storm Causes Problems from California to New England NOAA Polar Satellites Detect Warm Waters Down Under; Warning Prompts Australian Scientists to Study Barrier Reefs for Coral Bleaching River Flood Potential below Normal for Winter and Early Spring Throughout Eastern United States Three NOAA Research Scientists Honored by American Meteorological Society Three-day Hurricane Forecast Becoming More Accurate with Better Environmental Modeling Weather Event Simulator Helps Forecasters Train for the Worst NOAA Satellites Help Save Six Fishermen from Atlantic Ocean NOAA Researchers Help Develop New Early-warning Radar Is El Niño Coming Back? Buffalo Storm Sets New Snowfall Records in December