Drought to Floods For Some; Dryness Holds On To West
“Improbably, flooding has now replaced drought as the Midwest’s greatest imminent concern,” said Brad Rippey, U.S. Department of Agriculture meteorologist, in a press release. “In fact, from April 20 to 23, the Mississippi River rose to one of its five highest levels on record from just south of Moline, Illinois, to just north of St. Louis.… Read More
U.S. Shows Rapid Rise of Temps Since First Earth Day
In commemoration of Earth Day, 2013, Climate Central has just released a new report that provides a state-by-state analysis of temperature trends since the first Earth Day took place in 1970. That occasion marked a significant change in America’s environmental consciousness, and led to the creation of, among other things, the Environ… Read More
Six to See: Slideshow of the Week’s Top Climate News
No matter where in the world we go, this week’s stories show the effects of a changing climate. … Read More
Heavy, Dam-Busting Rainstorms To Increase, Study Finds
Boosted by the added moisture from warming air and ocean temperatures, the heaviest precipitation events, of the sort that can cause dams to fail, rivers to spill over their banks, and cities to flood, are likely to become significantly heavier by the end of this century, according to a new study.… Read More
In Wake of Sandy, NOAA Alters Hurricane Warning Policy
Ahead of the 2013 Atlantic Hurricane Season and in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, the National Weather Service announced today that it is changing its policy on the issuance of tropical storm and hurricane watches and warnings. Beginning on June 1, the agency will be permitted to leave these watches and warnings in effect even if a hurricane transiti… Read More
U.S. Dominated Global Disaster Losses in 2012: Swiss Re
The insurance industry had its third-most expensive year on record in 2012, with global economic losses from natural catastrophes and man-made disasters totaling $186 billion, according to a report released March 27 by the reinsurance giant Swiss Re. The total insured losses for the year was $77 billion, which was well below the losses seen in 2011… Read More
Climate Change: One More Problem for Pakistan
The Indus river, originating on the Tibetan Plateau and flowing for nearly 2,000 miles through the disputed territory of Jammu and Kashmir and finally down to the province of Sindh and out into the Arabian Sea, is key to life in Pakistan. The majority of Pakistan’s 190 million people are involved in agriculture: the Indus, fed by glaciers high up… Read More
For Engineers, Climate Failure Becomes an Option
Civil engineers build rugged things designed to last for decades, like roads, bridges, culverts and water treatment plants. But a University of New Hampshire professor wants his profession to become much more flexible. In a changing climate, civil engineer Paul Kirshen argues, facilities will have to adapt to changing conditions over their useful … Read More
