an oceanagropher and former astronaut, she helps oversee noaa's work on weather observation and climateences. and jeff masters is a meteorologist with the weather underground website. he joins us from ann arbor, michigan. so thanks for being here. miss sullivan, i rattled off what seemed like an exceptional year of weather, but put this in perspective. how rare is this? >> well, the prior record-breaking year was nine significant events, well above the three to four that are typical. that was 2008. so a third again in number of events, each of which had greater than a billion dollars. many other events, of course, fell below that billion-dollar threshold through the course of that year. quite a remarkable string, quite a remarkable array. i came aboard noaa as the deputy administrator early in may and the preceding month of april in one month alone. we had record-breaking flood, wildfire, tornado outbreaks within one single month. it was certainly unprecedented in my experience. >> reporter: jeff masters you've said in your blog you never saw a year like this. what else stands out to yo

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christ strong- portavoz del noaa- "no creo que este muy frio ni tampoco muy calido este invierno, eninos de nieve tendremos una cantidad promedio quizas menos, pero sin duda, tendremos nieve. traten de conectarse con la informacion del tiempo, especialmente ahora en el invierno cuando el clima impacta sus vidas. mantenganse al tanto de las alertas y de los medios de comunicacion..." novedades: satelite dual buenas tardes a todos, se jugo el partido de ida de la final del futbol mexicano, tigres de visita derroto 1-0 a santos, partido que lo presentamos por telefutura, vamos ahora con imagenes y reaccicones. en guatemala en la semifinal, municipal derroto 3-1 al deportivo suchitepequez. por la copa sudamericana se jugo el partido ida de la final, y la universidad de chile de visita en ecuador derroto 1-0 a liga deportiva universitaria de quito, tambien tenemos imagenes y reaccion. se viene la semana 14 del futbol america con la nfl y les vamos a contar como esta el calendario de juegos para los dos equipos del area. iniciamos con los ravens de baltimore que estaran jugando el domingo

but a million dollar federal grant from noaa, will allow them to conduct additional surveys. like the one determined each year to determine the health of blue scraps. -- crabs. that saw the population grow. along with the catch for watermen. >> we hope that they keep rebounding and coming on stronger and stronger for us. >> reporter: one species targeted for study is the soft shell clam, which used to be widespread in the bay. >> population of clams have dropped enormously. >> they are both priorities for study. >> there aren't really good management decisions if you don't have the science behind it. >> alex demetrick, wjz eyewitness news. >> noaa has also awarded a $1 million grant to virginia researchers to make sure studies include all of the bay. >>> still to come tonight on wjz eyewitness news. >> the food truck frenzy in baltimore is set to continue. i'm monique griego. coming up, we'll let you know about the city's latest moves to make it easier for them to operate. >>> just days before returning home to maryland from pakistan. a maryland man is abducted. i'm jessica k

but a million-dollar federal grant from noaa will allow detailed survey, like the one done each year to determine the health of blue crabs. that survey set new rules, which saw the crab population grow, along with the catch for watermen. >> we hope they keep rebounding and coming on stronger and stronger for us. >> reporter: one species targeted for study is the softshell clam, which used to be widespread in the bay. >> population of clams have dropped enormously to low levels. >> reporter: invaders are both priorities for study. >> there aren't really good management behind it if you don't have the science behind it. >>> noaa has also awarded a $1 million grant to virginia researchers to make sure studies include all of the bay. >>> well, a group of volunteers cleaning up a virginia park, makes an amazing discovery. they came across this mysterious nine-foot high pyramid at forest hill park. as to what it is exactly, no one knows for sure. rumors, though, are spread that it marks a slain burial site. but some think it is simply a pile of rocks. the group says it is going to continue

we have a new blog from noaa. [ male announcer ] for andy, tracking his spending with citibank is asmaking breakfast. omelet? sure. scrambled eggs. [ male announcer ] actually, it's easier. citi financial tools. easier banking. standard at citibank. we got charged for refills. really? [ male announcer ] kate uses her citibank debit card because kate knows there are some things you shouldn't be charged for. refill? i'm ok. [ male announcer ] so does that guy. the citibank debit card with no monthly fee. eas

with noaa estimating the country sustained 12 weather disasters that cost at least $1 billion or more each. that breaks a record set in 2008 with nine such disasters. >> all that should be under water. >> reporter: first drought, then wildfires ravaged texas, new mexico and arizona. from the dakotas to the gulf coast, massive flooding caused catastrophic damage. then, in august, irene raked the east coast. >> the sand is like a sandblaster. >> reporter: north carolina was hit first, then new jersey, new york, and vermont. climatologists blame climate change and shifting global weather patterns for the extremes. and more could be on the way. >> everything we know about the climate system and its physics say that we will see more frequent extreme events of greater severity and intensity. >> reporter: roughly 1,000 people have died so far in this year's weather disasters. they've cost an estimated $52 billion. but communities are still counting. with the impact zones so often at the intersection of mother nature and a growing population, a warning that it could get even costlier and more

if you go to the epa or noaa for some of these other governmental sites, it looks fake a spreadsheet with a present information. it's very boring and hard to digest the got to get a ruler and trying figure out what they're talking about. and so our team day after day after day goes and finds this information, writes a new graphic for it, new headline and makes an engaging and interesting where you can digest and understand it. that's what we really want to do with our fabulous team that works on these things. you know, i am an environmentalist. i think everybody here in this room does. were looking for information, accuracy. echoing change your life and make little sense that the two big steps? that is what our mission is coming to get that information in a way that people can understand it, digest it and then apply it. >> which pages get the most attention and people stay on them the longest of the various categories? the second question is, environmental and business a fad. how you succeed in four years? >> first on terms of the first question, pats do unbelievable. pets is amazing

. >> noaa has also awarded a $1 million grant to virginia researchers to make sure all of the studies include all of the bay. >>> still ahead on wjz's eyewitness news at 5:00. can a movie be hazardous to your health? we'll explain how the twilight saga is sending some people into seizures. >>> expanding a worldwide safety recall. the news for owners of honda vehicles. >> will gabby giffords run for re-election? what her husb,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, >>> it is 5:30. 54 degrees and clear out there tonight. good evening. and thank you for staying with wjz eyewitness news. here are some of the stories people are talking about tonight. al qaeda is now claiming responsibility for the capture of a 70 yearly maryland man in pakistan. jessica kartalija reports, the terrorist group has set specific set of demands they say must be met before they release him. >> reporter: the abduction of warren weinstein was violent in his home in lahor, pakistan. now, al qaeda leader ayman al- zawahri said weinstein would be freed if the u.s. stops air strikes in afghanistan and pakistan. in august, armed men pretendin

you have after noaa took lace and 150 years to know how amazing it was as you yourself have pointed out in your little factoids that sounded like only one third of graduates of a leading british universities know who was the monarch at the time of the spanish armada. if you don't have any timeline in your head how can you think about anything properly? >> guest: i think this book is part to challenge the ways in which history is taught on both sides of the atlantic and to make a plea to restore chronological frameworks to the way that we teach. i think this is a bigger problem in the u.k. than in the u.s. because in the u.k. there has been an almost total break with the great swede where most american kids are given a sweep of american history and a sweep of american or world history. i'm not sure how far they have really absorbed this but they go-go through in roughly chronological order. you can study history in the british schools and leapfrog henry viii and martin luther king, jr. and that's it, you are done. so you have no sense of the order in which things happen and there are no

microwave sounding unit operating on noaa satellites show a net cooling since 1998. . totally the opposite of every prediction of united nations sbrl governmental panel on climate change, and their faulty computer models as well as the army of global warming -- global warming scientists who have been warning us about higher and higher temperatures. well, the frantic claims and predictions of manmade global warming have been replaced with a new warning, if it gets colder or it gets warmer, the alarmists will have their way because that is being caused by too much co-2. whatever it is, it is being caused by it. they change the words from global warming to climate change and replaced, as i said, global warming with climate change. i guess they think we would forget about their predictions over and over again being 100% wrong. even the much touted melting of the ice caps has now reversed itself in the last few years. according to the most data from the national snow and ice center in boulder, colorado, not all the ice caps are melting now. there is melting, and there is re

. >> reporter: some scientists are skeptical saying there is floating wreckage from japan but noaa saysive clump heading our way. no doubt the debris is washing ashareholder but proving it's associated to the tsunamiy is a problem. >> the tsunami added potentially significant amount of debris to that problem but fingerprinting it back is a problem. >> reporter: scientists agree on one thing. the tsunami wandered the oceans for years and ever present reminder the power of nature. lee cowan, cbs news, los angeles. >>> joining us now is oceanographer curt ebbesmeyer and tracking pacific ocean debris for years. >> sir, good to have you with us this morning. those buoys that were reported to you, did they come from japan? >> yes, we have reports, we have sent the reports to japan and oyster farmers have positively identified their buoys. so we know that quite a few of them are from oyster farms. >> curt, besides the buoys, what other things are washing up on shore and where abouts? >> they are fishy buoys of styrofoam, black plastic and orange shape and washing up in oregon. >> put this in p

s are >> some were skeptical saying there is wreckage from japan but noaa says he can find no evidenceeaded our way. massive cl not that they doubt it's washing no doubt ashore but proving it's connected to the tsunami is but difficult at best. >> marine debris a problem that's been impacting the oceans for years. it will continue to do so. added the tsunami added significant amount of debris to that to problem. that problem fingerprinting it back is challenging. >> scientists agree on one thing. the nondecomposing materials like plastic, the tsunami dragged out to sea probably wander the oceans for years. and ever an ever present reminder of the power of nature. cbs news. angeles. los angeles. now >>> joining us is oceanography who you saw in the report. he's been tracking the current and debris for 16 years. >> in the last three month, he's gotten reports of 18 buoys to have washing up in washington oregonose b state. the buoys that are reported to you, did they come from japan? >> yes, we have reports -- sent the reports to japan and the er f oyster farmers have positively identifie

noaa says a new u.s. record was set with 12 separate billion dollar or more weather disasters.$52 billion and killing 646 people. cropless fields in texas. in the south and west, heat and drought conditions brought losses to crops and live stock to $10 billion. and it fueled massive wildfires like this one in austin, texas which ravaged this neighborhood. the drought was forecast to continue well into the new year. but if you look at our water it looks like we have plenty here. this is atlanta's drinking water, lake lanier. the only problem as i walk up the hill to this stick, at full pool, this water would still be way over my head. this year the trouble started early. a ground hog day blizzard in chicago paralyzed the city with two feet of snow. in the spring, midwest snow trickled south and combined with three times the normal rainfall, caused the mississippi to flood. above-average hurricane season resulted in only one storm making landfall -- that was irene. category 1 in north carolina, but it moved up the atlantic coast causing widespread flooding and 45 deaths. and then

these are only two agencies, but the department of transportati transportation, nasa, noaa, among others, have also raised concerns about light square's plan. the effects of the f.c.c.'s decision aren't just limited to the federal government. they also affec aaffect ordinary americans. just two examples. for americans who hope that nexgen would reduce air traffic control delays, it would have waste time, fuel and ultimately money for the flying public. for americans who use precision agriculture to save time and money, the f.c.c.'s actions would harm the accuracy and reliability of their equipment. this again leads to wasted energy, lower crop yields, higher prices for products like wheat and corn. at the end of the day, the f.c.c.'s actions would cost the american consumers money. does the f.c.c. even care? i don't know. but the agency certainly has not provided any evidence that it took any of this information into consideration. what we see today is an agency that is completely unaccountable and unanswerable to 99.6% of the congress and by extension, the american public. this is simpl

like as i could so they were in uniforms and i started wearing my own uniform which was navy blue, noaaen code shoes or jewelry. one funny story is high went on a trip like this with some generals into indonesia and i discovered that sitting in is a good method for a reporter because you sit in by being empathetic to your sources which i think i am but also by respecting their culture. that is what i was trying to do. but it can go too far. there was the intelligence chief of an index where we were visiting the country. the ambassador set up for me to talk to him about this intelligence matter that i was reporting on or trying to gather information on. when i got in he started taking me through this warren of offices and faults that he had a combination to get into and i remembered where are we going? he finally said when we sat down was wearing a press badge i had turned over because i don't like to remind people that is what was. he said you are not really with the media, are you? i looked at him. you are with the defense department, aren't you? i thought he was joking but then he wen