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NASA satellites show extent of power outages after the "derecho"

This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American


NASA's Earth Observatory has posted before and after satellite images of the mid-Atlantic region showing the extent of the power outages after the June 29th storm. The land hurricane - technically called a "derecho", or "long-lived wind storm that is associated with a band of rapidly moving showers or thunderstorms" - left over 4 million people without power for several days. The images are from the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership satellite, which takes measurements using visible and infrared spectra.

June 28 (before the storm):

June 30 (after):


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Larger files along with a nifty comparison slider tool are available over at NASA's Earth Observatory site.

David Wogan is an engineer and policy researcher who writes about energy, technology, and policy.

David's academic and professional background includes a unique blend of technology and policy in the field of energy systems. Most recently, David worked at Austin Energy, a Texas municipal utility, implementing a Department of Energy stimulus grant related to energy efficiency. Previously, David was a member of the Energy & Climate Change team at the White House Council on Environmental Quality for the Obama Administration.

David holds two Master's degrees from The University of Texas at Austin in Mechanical Engineering and Public Affairs. While at UT, David was a researcher in the Webber Energy Group, where his research focused on advanced biofuel production to offset petroleum use in the transportation sector. David holds a Bachelor's of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from The University of Texas at Austin, where he researched nuclear non-proliferation measurement technology.

David is a 2013 Aspen Institute Journalism Scholar, joining a select group of journalists from Slate, ABC News, and The New York Times.

David lives in Austin, Texas. Follow along on Twitter or email him at david.wogan@me.com.

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