New study: Dust, warming portend dry future for the Colorado River New study: Dust, warming portend dry future for the Colorado River Land management efforts could help protect snowpacks, water from a warmer future Reducing the amount of desert dust swept onto snowy Rocky Mountain peaks could help Western water managers deal with the challenges of a warmer future, according to a new study led by researchers at NOAA’s Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) at the University of Colorado Boulder. Read more
New study: Rising temperatures challenge Salt Lake City’s water supply New study: Rising temperatures challenge Salt Lake City’s water supply Sensitivity study helps the city, others in the Intermountain West, plan for the future In an example of the challenges water-strapped Western cities will face in a warming world, new research shows that every degree Fahrenheit of warming in the Salt Lake City region could mean a 1.8 to 6.5 percent drop in the annual flow of streams that provide water to the city. Read more
NOAA Sea Grant awards $1.8 million to Sandy-hit states to better understand public response to coastal storm threats NOAA Sea Grant awards $1.8 million to Sandy-hit states to better understand public response to coastal storm threats NOAA Sea Grant this month announced $1.8 million in grant awards to Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey to enhance the American public’s ability to effectively plan, prepare and respond to natural disasters when they strike—particularly for major storms like Sandy, which resulted in 140 fatalities last year. Read more
Encouraging information from this year’s observations of the Antarctic ozone hole Encouraging information from this year’s observations of the Antarctic ozone hole For nearly 50 years, scientists with NOAA have launched high-altitude balloons from the South Pole, to understand why a hole was forming in the protective ozone layer high in the atmosphere. Now, organizations around the world track the infamous ozone hole through these ballon-sondes, satellite measurements and ground instruments. Read more
Water vapor in the upper atmosphere amplifies global warming, says new study Water vapor in the upper atmosphere amplifies global warming, says new study A new study shows that water vapor high in the sky and the temperature at the Earth’s surface are linked in a “feedback loop” that further warms our climate. Published today, this study gives the first estimate of the size of the feedback’s effect, which may help researchers improve modeling to better understand climate change. Read more
NOAA, Aquarium of the Pacific report on the future of American ocean exploration NOAA, Aquarium of the Pacific report on the future of American ocean exploration More than 100 explorers, scientists, government officials, academics, and industry leaders who attended the inaugural ‘Ocean Exploration 2020: A National Forum,’ in July, have proposed the future of American ocean exploration. NOAA and the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, Calif., hosted the Forum, and released a report this week examining the future of ocean exploration through a coordinated federal effort involving multiple agencies in collaboration with the private sector. Read more
Deep diving robots find warming accelerating in ocean off Antarctica 6Mar2019 Read more New research from NOAA and partners analyzing data from deep-diving ocean robots and research cruises shows that the coldest, near-bottom South Pacific waters originating from Antarctica are warming three times faster than they were in the 1990s. Read more
NOAA seeking public input for research and development plan 1Feb2019 Read more The public is invited to help set the course for NOAA research and development for the coming years. Public comments will be welcomed until Friday, February 8, 2019. You can submit your comments by email to noaa.rdplan@noaa.gov. Please include the subject line “NOAA R&D Plan Public Comment.” Read more
NOAA science report highlights 2018 research accomplishments 7Mar2019 Read more Forecasting hurricane track and intensity, providing decision support for wildfires, issuing warnings for harmful algal blooms: these are just a snapshot of how NOAA’s research over the past year has provided vital services to Americans every day. A newly released NOAA Science Report celebrates NOAA’s research and development, highlighting how NOAA’s research products impact the lives of all Americans. Read more
XPRIZE finalists test new technologies for $1M NOAA Bonus Prize 13Feb2019 Read more Editor's note: We are sharing a news release that XPRIZE issued this week on the competition for the $1 million Bonus Prize sponsored by NOAA. As the world’s leader in designing and managing incentive competitions to solve humanity’s grand challenges, XPRIZE announced this week that the three finalist teams competing for the $1 million Bonus Prize sponsored by NOAA, in its Shell Ocean Discovery XPRIZE, have tested their technologies in Ponce, Puerto Rico. Read more
NOAA taps fishery scientist to lead its Pacific Marine Environmental Lab 4Feb2019 Read more Michelle McClure, director of the Fishery Resource Analysis and Monitoring Division at NOAA’s Northwest Fisheries Science Center, began work Monday, February 4, 2019, as the new director of NOAA’s Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory in Seattle. Read more