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This page was last updated on SEptember 24, 2024





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Regional Weather

Lansdale, PA

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Pennsylvania forecast


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Videos from youtube.com RE:Our Environment


Tornado





Volcano...





Blizzard





Thunder Storm





Tropical heat





Hurricane


Click here for Noaa's web site to help you forecast a survive HURRICANES




Tsumani





Earthquake



Antarctica






Northern Lights







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Let's ban this dangerous chemical from our environment










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Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware

New Jersey

State Weather and Climate

Pennsylavania

State Weather and Climate

Delaware

State Weather and Climate

Northeast USA

Forest research station


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Some Webcam stations


Partial Eclipse 2013

Partial Solar Eclipse 2013 from Mark 'Indy' Kochte on Vimeo.

On November 3, 2013, there was a rare hybrid annular/total solar eclipse of the Sun. Unfortunately, the only places one could see totality was either in the Atlantic Ocean or in central Africa. For the East Coast of the United States, we were treated to a partial eclipse in progress as the Sun rose. Wanting as flat a horizon as I could get, I went out to the town of Chesapeake Beach on the Chesapeake Bay to catch sunrise eclipse. I had two cameras with me to shoot two time-lapse sequences of sunrise, a Nikon D7000 with an 18-105mm lens set to 105, and another Nikon D7000 with a 70-400mm lens set to 400. Other settings: ISO 100, f/8-f/11, aperture mode, time-lapse interval set to 5 seconds between exposures for the 400mm lensed camera, 10 seconds for the 105mm lensed camera (was supposed to be 5 also, but I goofed :-) ). Focus was set to manual, otherwise things would have been seriously wonked up (as it turned out, for some reason the 400 lens sequence bounced a few times during the course of the sequence, despite being on the heavier tripod and locked down pretty solidly).

As you watch the sunrise eclipse, notice that the silhouette of the Moon slowly shrinks as the Sun gets higher in the sky (more noticeable in the 400mm sequence). I had hoped to have gotten the entire length of the eclipse shot, but as I was driving out, a cloud deck formed and started spreading eastward. I was happy just to get the 15 minutes of eclipse that I could before the Sun went behind the clouds (the entire eclipse would otherwise have lasted 41 minutes for my area).


Joshua Tree Nights

Joshua Tree Nights from Mark 'Indy' Kochte on Vimeo.

This astro-lapse (night sky time-lapse) has been two years in the making. It was shot exclusively out in Joshua Tree National Park on two separate weekend visits to the Park, one in September, one in November (during the 2012 Leonid Meteor Shower). Since that time the images had sat dormant in an archive, waiting for me to get some time to devote to transforming them into this video. That time has finally come.

Due to the lateness in the year I was there, the Milky Way was setting into the light dome of Palm Springs and greater Los Angeles. Consequently, I only got one decent Milky Way sequence in the nights I shot.

At the time I was not traveling with a dolly rail set up, so was limited in the camera movements to using an Astrotrac astrophotography guiding system. However, the Astrotrac would only pan for about 90 minutes before reaching the end of it’s workable motion. Hence why there are a number of ‘still’, tripod-only sequences.

**Geeky Astro Details**

The bright star-like object that appears from behind a sky-silhouetted Joshua Tree at 0:15 is Jupiter. Jupiter also appears at 0:24, 0:38, and rises through the Arch near White Tanks Campground at 0:57.

The shadows that play across the rocks in the Arch sequence are from the moon setting behind the camera.

Venus makes an appearance at 0:50 and rises during the final sequence at 1:38

The star trails at 1:13 were created using StarStax. On the left side of the field of view at 1:19 you’ll note the appearance of a bright shaft of light. That was a minor fireball from the Leonid meteor shower. All the other streaks you see shoot across the field of view are planes.

The final sequence (at 1:28) features a classic instance of Zodiacal Light, the glow you see in the sky as the camera pans from right to left. It was *very* evident with the naked eye. It took me a while to figure out that it wasn’t light pollution from a distant town (of which there are no light domes in that direction from Joshua Tree), but rather an extremely vivid case of Zodiacal Light. (I have only seen it this bright once since during a trip to New Mexico in 2013)

The lights on the hill from 0:33 to 0:38 are of some night hikers a few miles away from where I was shooting.

**Geeky Tech Details**
Cameras used: Nikon D7000
ISOs: 3200
Exposure times: ranged from 15-25 seconds
Lens f-stop settings: ranged from f/2.8 (with the 14mm Rokinon) to f/3.5 (for the 18-105mm Nikon kit lens, in 18mm mode)
Post processing: Lightroom 5
Video creation and rendering: Final Cut Pro X
Hyperlapse motion courtesy of Astrotrac (www.astrotrac.com)

All sequences were shot within Joshua Tree National Park, some in Hidden Valley, some at White Tanks.

Music by Sarah Schachner (www.sarahschachner.com), “Firestorm”


Here is the Mt. St. Helen's Web cam real time observation..




Here is old faithfull's web cam




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MISC. Disaster survival guides


How to Prepare for a Winter Storm


Disaster Preparedness for Livestock(PDF)


Earthquake Proof Your Home: How to Prepare Your Home and Property for an Earthquake


Hurricane Safety Checklists

This isn't exactly about safety, but it's got fantastic info for families
who want to learn more about weather and the powerful forces of nature.


Storm Spotting for Children: At-Home Meteorology


Bedroom Emergency Preparedness

Information on Bedroom Emergency Preparedness

The guide covers:
  • Strategies to assess and mitigate risks in the bedroom before disaster strikes


  • Tips on preparing an emergency response kit specific to the bedroomLI

    How to create an emergency communication plan for your family

    How to prepare your bedroom for various emergencies, including fire, earthquakes, tornadoes, and more



Infographic: Disaster preparedness essentials


Natural Disastrs


AVALANCE SURVIVAL

Avalanches they are one of the most dangerous natural disasters out there. "After one hour, only 1 in 3 victims buried in an avalanche is found alive. The most common causes of death are suffocation, wounds, and hypothermia"

Information on Avalanche Guide


Since natural disasters are a constant threat, it's important that we do everything we can to protect our families, our homes, and ourselves from their potentially devastating effects. That's exactly what my site is dedicated to inform the general public.

Information on Surviving a wildfire


Surviving a Wildfire





Flash Flood Safety and Damage Prevention Guide





Hurricane Safety Tips



Ultimate Guide to Drought Safety


How to Build a Storm Shelter

Information on How to Build a Storm Shelter



Tornado Safety Guide



How to Proactively Prepare for a Blizzard


Oliver Lambert.


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Suggestions for Green Living

Top 15 Green Home Improvements and their Costs – DIY Green Living Ideas


Greenhouse Essentials You Need To Know by HomeAdvisor


How to Compost at Home: A Beginner's Guide to DIY Fertilizer


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Sustainabilty

SGS Sports Gear swag:Custom Sports Apparel & Gear Blog

Sustainability: Just a Business Trend? from Polyshot hot runner systems

Revolutionizing Construction: Sustainable Materials for Tomorrow’s World

Information on Revolutionizing Construction: Sustainable Materials for Tomorrow’s World

I am a graduate student at the University of California, Berkeley, where I major in Environmental Science, Policy, and Management. My current research is centered on sustainable materials, and on creating and implementing biodegradable solutions to reduce plastic waste. Your page has been an invaluable resource for someone like me, deeply invested in sustainability and environmental conservation.


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Recycling

Angi's List

How to Host an At-Home Recycling Drive


What Can Be Recycled?: A List of 200+ Items


ECO- Friendly Eco-Guide to Managing Old Phone Casings

Being An Eco Friendly Pet Owner

Information on Being An Eco Friendly Pet Owner


A Complete Guide to Scrap Metal Recycling – Resource Page

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dos and donts guide pest control

Information on dos and donts guide pest control

The Pest Control Authority:Helpful Resources


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Helpful Parent Links and Resources

Information on Helpful Parent Links and Resources


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