Tag: NOAA

Image Credits: What the collision that spawned Earth's Moon may have looked like. Collisions between Earth and rocky debris in the early solar system would have kept the surface molten and surface temperatures blistering. Image courtesy NASA.

What’s the Hottest Earth’s Ever Been?

3/12/2025 - By Michon Scott and Rebecca Lindsey. Our 4.54-billion-year-old planet probably experienced its hottest temperatures in its earliest days, when it was still colliding with other rocky debris (planetesimals) careening around the solar system. The heat of these collisions would have kept Earth molten, with top-of-the-atmosphere temperatures upward of 3,600° Fahrenheit.… SEE MORE

Image Credits: Jennifer Ackerman/2022 Get Into Your Sanctuary Photo Contest

Rare Species Found in Your National Marine Sanctuaries and Monuments

3/10/2025 - By Rachel Plunkett. America’s national marine sanctuaries and monuments protect some of the ocean’s rarest and most fascinating creatures—species that have evolved in unique ways to thrive in these underwater habitats. From deep-sea black corals older than the pyramids, to the elusive and strikingly beautiful masked angelfish (Genicanthus personatus), found… SEE MORE

What’s Happening in the Ocean During Springtime?

3/2/2025 - By noaa.gov. When you think of springtime on land, you might think of birds migrating, flowers blooming, and leaves emerging. While these changes are happening on land, changes are happening in the ocean, too! But how can you tell if spring has sprung in the sea? This graphic explains some… SEE MORE

Fish swimming around a colorful coral reef

Optics Technology: At the Heart of Marine Research

2/26/2025 - By NOAA Fisheries Videos and images from advanced underwater cameras are a critical component of collecting data. We use this information to make informed management decisions for marine species and habitat. At NOAA Fisheries, optics technology plays a major role in gathering data to better understand our marine and coastal… SEE MORE

Gray Whales on the Rebound: Signs of Hope Despite Challenges

2/24/2025 - By fisheries.noaa.gov. North Pacific gray whale population increases after declines. California's gray whales are an iconic and beloved species, visible to spectators even from shore during their migrations. The whales feed up in the Arctic and sub-Arctic waters in the North Pacific, then migrate all the way down the coast of… SEE MORE

Image Credits: The Pacific Palisades Fire near Malibu, California, which started on January 7, 2025. Adobe stock photo.

The Weather and Climate Influences on the January 2025 Fires Around Los Angeles

2/22/2025 - By Rebecca Lindsey. Highlights A trifecta of fire-friendly climate conditions set the stage for the January 2025 fires: back-to-back wet winters that boosted vegetation, a record-dry fall, and an extremely strong Santa Ana wind event. By one estimate, record-low fall precipitation had a bigger influence on the exceptionally low vegetation… SEE MORE

Image Credits: NOAA works in Washington's Snohomish River estuary to restore habitat for salmon and other fish species. Credit: NOAA Fisheries

5 Lovely Reasons Why We “Heart Estuaries”

2/12/2025 - By fisheries.noaa.gov. Celebrating #IHeartEstuaries is a popular way to show your love to these bodies of water where rivers meet the sea. 1. Estuaries Are Nurseries of the Sea Estuaries are often called the “nurseries of the sea,” because so many animals love to reproduce and spend the early part of… SEE MORE

Another Blast of Arctic Air: This Time, with a Stretched but Strong Polar Vortex

2/6/2025 - By Butler and Laura Ciasto. We’re briefly popping in because another surge of very cold air looks to drop down from the Arctic over a large region of the central US this weekend and into early next week. We know that the question will be asked: is the cold related… SEE MORE

We are Absolutely Confident that Some Expected La Niña Impacts will Bust this Winter

2/5/2025 - By Michelle L'Heureux. Right now, with La Niña conditions currently underway, I guarantee at least one of our readers is currently thinking “This alleged ‘La Niña’ is going to bust so hard in my region. It’s supposed to be DRY and it’s been WET so far. What the heck is wrong… SEE MORE

Image Credits: Temperatures were well below freezing (blue) across much of the U.S. Southeast on the morning of January 22, 2025. NOAA Climate.gov image, based on RTMA/URMA data.

Historic January 2025 snowstorm in the Southern U.S.

2/4/2025 - By Nicole Collins. An Arctic blast plunged into the southeastern United States on Sunday, January 19, arriving just in time for the on-average coldest stretch of the year. It brought record-breaking low temperatures and fueled a winter storm that dropped historic snowfall for parts of the South. On January 22,… SEE MORE