Category: Weather & Tides

https://apnews.com/article/hurricane-ida-climate-change-business-new-york-city-floods-ccb72f9b4b838c8dd388de0ed6840266

Storms Batter Aging Power Grid as Climate Disasters Spread

4/8/2022 - By Matthew Brown, Camille Fassett, Patrick Whittle, Janet McConnaughey and Jason Lo. Power outages from severe weather have doubled over the past two decades across the U.S., as a warming climate stirs more destructive storms that cripple broad segments of the nation’s aging electrical grid, according to an Associated Press analysis of… SEE MORE

https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2020/04/27/charlotte-north-carolina-radar-gap/

NWS Cutting Back on Weather Balloon Launches

4/5/2022 - By Brittany Van Voorhees. Weather balloons are a critical tool used by meteorologists to produce accurate forecasts. Due to supply chain issues and a shortage of hydrogen, the National Weather Service (NWS) has announced they are reducing the number of weather balloon launches. The NWS currently launches weather balloons from 101 upper-air… SEE MORE

How to Flood Proof Your Home

4/1/2022 - If you live in an area prone to flooding, it's essential to take steps to protect your home. Flooding can cause extensive damage to your property and possessions, so it's best to be prepared. Life in a waterfront area can be a dream come true, but rising coastlines present new… SEE MORE

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:GulfofMaine2.jpg

Fast-warming Gulf of Maine Set New Record in 2021

3/30/2022 - By David Sharp. PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — An ocean heat wave sent temperatures soaring to a new high last year in the Gulf of Maine, continuing an alarming trend in the important marine ecosystem, researchers said Monday. The surface temperature was more than 4 degrees Fahrenheit above the long-term average… SEE MORE

Alaska coast - Image by Dennis Larsen from Pixabay

Alaska Air Pollution Holds Clues for Other Arctic Climates

3/25/2022 - By Mark Thiessen. FAIRBANKS, Alaska (AP) — In the pristine expanse of Alaska’s interior lies a dirty secret: some of the most polluted winter air in the United States can be found in and around Fairbanks. The Fairbanks North Star Borough, which includes Alaska’s second largest city, routinely exceeds limits… SEE MORE

Tides 101: What is a Tide Gauge?

3/24/2022 - A tide gauge, which is one component of a modern water level monitoring station, is fitted with sensors that continuously record the height of the surrounding water level. This data is critical for many coastal activities, including safe navigation, sound engineering, and habitat restoration and preservation. Before computers were used… SEE MORE

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Antarctic_Ice.jpg

Climate Change 101: Arctic 70 and 50 Degrees Above Normal

3/22/2022 - By Seth Borenstein. Earth’s poles are undergoing simultaneous freakish extreme heat with parts of Antarctica more than 70 degrees (40 degrees Celsius) warmer than average and areas of the Arctic more than 50 degrees (30 degrees Celsius) warmer than average. Weather stations in Antarctica shattered records Friday as the region… SEE MORE

Weather 101: What is La Niña?

3/21/2022 - La Niña is characterized by unusually cold ocean temperatures in the Equatorial Pacific, compared to El Niño, which is characterized by unusually warm ocean temperatures in the Equatorial Pacific. The graphic below shows the sea surface temperature in the equatorial Pacific (20ºN-20ºS, 100ºE-60ºW) from Indonesia on the left to central… SEE MORE

Rebuild or Retreat? Newport Eyes Cliff Walk’s Eroding Future

3/20/2022 - By Jennifer McDermott. NEWPORT, R.I. (AP) — Newport, Rhode Island, is in a bind: Should the city continue propping up its landmark Cliff Walk, even though chunks of the path keep crumbling into the sea? Last week, coastal erosion knocked out 30 feet (9 meters) of the paved trail, which winds… SEE MORE

Climate Change to Make Pollen Season Nastier

3/16/2022 - By Seth Borenstein. Climate change has already made allergy season longer and pollen counts higher, but you ain’t sneezed nothing yet. Climate scientists at the University of Michigan looked at 15 different plant pollens in the United States and used computer simulations to calculate how much worse allergy season will… SEE MORE