Rare May Snowstorm Annihilates Records in Midwest
In Iowa, the 11 inches recorded at the town of Britt, which is in the north central part of the state, is also likely a state record. The 6.7 inches that fell in Des Moines was the biggest May snowstorm on record for that city as well. In Wisconsin, 16.2 inches fell at Ashland, which also set a state record for the heaviest May snowstorm on record.… Read More
Winter is Coming: Texas, Midwest Bracing for Cold
A sharp cold front is ushering in some of the coldest temperatures on record for the month of May in the southern Plains and into Texas, with temperatures plummeting from the mid-90s on Tuesday in Amarillo, Texas, to the upper 20s on Wednesday night. Houston may be in line to set a record for the coldest May day on record if the low temperature on … Read More
Winter Is Finally Releasing Its Chilly Grip on the U.S.
When the AO index is in its “negative” phase, air pressure over the Arctic is higher than average, while pressure over the mid-latitudes is relatively low, and prevailing winds allow extremely cold air to spill out of the Arctic, as if opening the Northern Hemisphere's refrigerator door. … Read More
Tell Me Why: Climate Science Is So Important
What’s seen from the sky can tell us a lot about what’s happening on Earth. Scientists rely on data gleaned from satellites for information on how our climate already has changed, and for clues on how it might change in the future. Scientist Jeff Privette tells us more in Tell Me Why.… Read More
2012 Year in Pictures: The Top 10 Most Striking Images
Call it our year in pictures as 2012 may be remembered for some of these top 10 images.… Read More
Extreme Weather 101: Rising Temps & Snowstorms
Can a warming planet really play a role in big snowstorms? In Extreme Weather 101, scientist Jay Lawrimore and meteorologist Dan Satterfield detail how increased temperatures can affect the formation of snowstorms that can blanket and paralyze a city.… Read More
Melting Permafrost Will Boost Temps, But Not Quickly
Climate scientists have long known that human-generated greenhouse emissions are only part of the story with global warming. A rising planetary temperature sets in motion all sorts of secondary effects that can boost the temperature even higher — effects like melting Arctic sea ice, rising levels of heat-trapping water vapor in the atmosphere, and … Read More
Visualizing 2012’s Record Arctic Sea Ice Melt
On average, more and more sea ice has been melting each summer, with widespread implications for the rest of the world. When white, highly reflective ice melts to reveal darker seawater, the ocean absorbs heat from the sun, warming the water and air and making it more likely that there will be even more melting in later years.… Read More
