Decades of research on Great Lakes ice cover reveal trends Decades of research on Great Lakes ice cover reveal trends NOAA’s Great Lakes Environmental Research Lab has monitored ice cover on the lakes for decades. Its measurements have documented wide variations from winter to winter and made possible discoveries about climate links to variation in ice cover. Read more
Asian emissions can increase ground-level ozone pollution in U.S. West Asian emissions can increase ground-level ozone pollution in U.S. West Springtime air pollution from Asia, swept across the Pacific Ocean on winds, can contribute to episodes of high surface ozone pollution in the western United States. Read more
NOAA-led study: Colorado oil and gas wells emit more pollutants than expected NOAA-led study: Colorado oil and gas wells emit more pollutants than expected When NOAA scientists began routinely monitoring the atmosphere’s composition at a tower north of Denver a few years ago, their instruments immediately sniffed something strange: plumes of air rich with chemical pollutants including the potent greenhouse gas methane. Read more
The serendipitous discovery of solar flares The serendipitous discovery of solar flares Independent astronomer records massive solar storm in 1859 Way back before we had the Internet and telephones and electrical wiring, scientists learned how solar flares can play havoc with manmade technologies. They also connected solar flares to the fantastic displays of auroral light, usually seen only at far northern and southern latitudes. And this discovery was completely by accident. Read more
Utah’s winter air quality mystery Utah’s winter air quality mystery NOAA study targets high ozone pollution events in western oil and gas fields During the last two winters, air quality monitors near oil and gas fields in the Uintah Basin have picked up episodes of ozone pollution far in excess of federal health-based standards in the least likely time -- during winter. Read more
Russell Schnell Wins NOAA Science Communicator Award Russell Schnell Wins NOAA Science Communicator Award A NOAA scientist who has published 134 scientific papers and holds patents in chemistry and microbiology can now add award-winning science communicator to his list of honors. Russell Schnell is the recipient of NOAA’s 2011 Dr. Daniel L. Albritton Outstanding Science Communicator Award. Read more
Indo-Pacific Ocean warming is changing global rainfall patterns 27Nov2019 Read more New research by NOAA and a visiting scientist from India shows that warming of the Indo-Pacific Ocean is altering rainfall patterns from the tropics to the United States, contributing to declines in rainfall on the United States west and east coasts. Read more
NOAA launches major field campaign to improve weather and climate prediction 7Jan2020 Read more Picture a calm, sunny day at a tropical beach. You look out at the ocean and in the distance a flotilla of small white clouds sails close to the waves. It’s ideal weather and typical of many days in the tropical Atlantic. However, scientists don’t fully understand how these ubiquitous clouds (a type of “shallow convective cloud”) form and impact the ocean, and it represents one of the largest uncertainties in predicting climate change. Read more
From hurricanes to seal pups: 4 ways drones are helping NOAA scientists conduct research 12Nov2019 Read more Read more
2019 ozone hole smallest on record 21Oct2019 Read more Abnormal weather patterns in the upper atmosphere over Antarctica dramatically limited ozone depletion in September and October, resulting in the smallest ozone hole observed since 1982, NASA and NOAA scientists reported today. Read more