Air pollution from wildfires, rising heat affected two-thirds of U.S. West Air pollution from wildfires, rising heat affected two-thirds of U.S. West Large wildfires and severe heat events are happening more often at the same time, worsening air pollution across the western United States, according to a new study led by Washington State University, with CIRES and NOAA’s Global Systems Laboratory. Read more
Smoke from wildfires influences ozone pollution on a global scale Smoke from wildfires influences ozone pollution on a global scale New NOAA analysis of a ground-breaking global atmospheric airborne research mission shows that smoke from biomass burning substantially contributes to one of the most common and harmful constituents of urban air pollution: ozone. Read more
Wet, then dry extremes contributed to devastating Marshall Fire in Colorado Wet, then dry extremes contributed to devastating Marshall Fire in Colorado On December 30, 2021, the Marshall Fire ripped through suburban neighborhoods on the west side of the Denver-Boulder metropolitan area. Spread by high winds and fueled by dry conditions, the wildfire destroyed more than 1,000 homes, according to news reports. Read more
Researchers develop automated method to identify fish calls underwater Researchers develop automated method to identify fish calls underwater A research team led by NOAA’s Cooperative Institute for Marine Ecosystem and Resource Studies at Oregon State University has developed an automated method that can accurately identify calls from a family of fishes. Read more
Measuring salt in the ocean may be key to predicting hurricane intensity Measuring salt in the ocean may be key to predicting hurricane intensity NOAA & Saildrone team up to gather unprecedented extreme weather data Salt has played an outsized role in human history. This element found in the ocean is now at the heart of new NOAA research that will potentially lead to improved forecasts of the most dangerous hurricanes. Read more
Report: Climate change contributed to some of 2020’s worst weather Report: Climate change contributed to some of 2020’s worst weather Failed monsoon rains that reignited the southwestern U.S. drought. A spring heat wave in western Europe. Intense Siberian wildfires. Scientists say human-caused climate change made these extreme weather events more likely, according to new research published today in the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society (BAMS). Read more
Atmospheric carbon dioxide rebounds as global pollution rates approach pre-Covid levels 5Nov2021 Read more Read more
Craig N. McLean, director of NOAA Research, to retire 18Nov2021 Read more Craig N. McLean, assistant administrator of NOAA Research, who began his NOAA career as a uniformed officer in the NOAA Corps four decades ago and rose to lead the agency’s research division and become a champion of ocean exploration, scientific integrity and science diplomacy, has announced his plan to retire from public service on April 1, 2022. Read more
Meet Ko Barrett: NOAA's senior advisor for climate and IPCC vice-chair 1Nov2021 Read more At the end of October, a small team of NOAA experts traveled to Glasgow, Scotland to attend the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26), an international summit aimed at accelerating climate action across the globe. Read more
Southern Ocean confirmed as strong carbon dioxide sink 3Dec2021 Read more A new study published this week in the journal Science estimates the Southern Ocean absorbs 550 million tonnes of carbon from the atmosphere per year, confirming its role as a significant carbon sink. Read more
NOAA Research's top 5 stories from 2021 14Dec2021 Read more Spectacular footage from inside a hurricane; a major ocean mapping milestone; new insights on the continued impacts of climate change, and much more -- 2021 was a busy year for NOAA Research. As the year draws to a close, we’re taking a look back at a few of our biggest research stories of the last 12 months. Read more