Carbon Dioxide at NOAA’s Mauna Loa Observatory reaches new milestone: Tops 400 ppm Carbon Dioxide at NOAA’s Mauna Loa Observatory reaches new milestone: Tops 400 ppm On May 9, the daily mean concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere of Mauna Loa, Hawaii, surpassed 400 parts per million (ppm) for the first time since measurements began in 1958. Read more
The origins of cirrus: Earth’s highest clouds have dusty core The origins of cirrus: Earth’s highest clouds have dusty core Scientists have found that wispy cirrus clouds have cores of dust and metallic particles, answering questions about how these clouds form and giving insight into their climatic implications in the future. Read more
Arctic nearly free of summer sea ice during first half of 21st century Arctic nearly free of summer sea ice during first half of 21st century For scientists studying summer sea ice in the Arctic, it’s not a question of “if” there will be nearly ice-free summers, but “when.” A new study says it could be before 2050. Read more
Thin, low Arctic clouds played an important role in the massive 2012 Greenland ice melt Thin, low Arctic clouds played an important role in the massive 2012 Greenland ice melt New study shows clouds will be important in region’s future Clouds over the central Greenland Ice Sheet last July were “just right” for driving surface temperatures there above the melting point. Read more
New NOAA study estimates future loss of labor capacity as climate warms New NOAA study estimates future loss of labor capacity as climate warms A new NOAA study projects that heat-stress related labor capacity losses will double globally by 2050 with a warming climate. The impact will be felt the most by those who work outside or in hot environments. Read more
NOAA research finds new way to identify which El Niño events will have biggest impact on U.S. winter weather NOAA research finds new way to identify which El Niño events will have biggest impact on U.S. winter weather New research from NOAA and the University of Washington suggests that using satellites to detect heat from deep convective cloud tops may be a way to detect El Niño and could help forecasters predict the unusual weather it causes. Read more
Natural disaster plans may aid businesses’ pandemic response 19Oct2020 Read more The social and economic impacts of COVID-19 have battered small- and medium-sized enterprises, putting millions of jobs in the U.S. at risk. And a year rife with natural disasters has not done the many already struggling businesses any favors. Read more
How will climate change change El Niño and La Niña? 9Nov2020 Read more A new book published by the American Geophysical Union provides first detailed examination of how climate change may influence El Niño and La Niña. Read more
Congress reauthorizes NOAA Sea Grant through 2025 21Dec2020 Read more The National Sea Grant College Act was reauthorized and amended by Congress and signed by President Donald J. Trump on December 18, 2020. The reauthorization, titled the “National Sea Grant College Program Amendments Act of 2020,” includes several updates to Sea Grant’s authorizing legislation. The Act serves as a guiding framework upon which Sea Grant operates and serves America’s coastal and Great Lakes communities. Read more
NOAA Research's top 5 stories from 2020 16Dec2020 Read more From predicting smoke movement from massive wildfires, to investigating how marine life is responding to a quieter ocean, 2020 was a big year for NOAA science. As this unprecedented year draws to a close, we’re looking back at some of our biggest research endeavors in 2020. Here are 5 of our most-read stories from the last year. Read more
After a busy summer, NOAA’s hurricane gliders are returning home 9Nov2020 Read more NOAA’s hurricane gliders are returning home after a successful journey during the 2020 hurricane season. These gliders were deployed off the coasts of Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Gulf of Mexico, and the eastern U.S. to collect data for scientists to use to improve the accuracy of hurricane forecast models. Read more