Climate model shows Australia’s rainfall decline due to human-caused climate change Climate model shows Australia’s rainfall decline due to human-caused climate change New climate model will help improve regional climate predictions in U.S. NOAA scientists have developed a new high-resolution climate model that shows southwestern Australia’s long-term decline in fall and winter rainfall is caused by increases in manmade greenhouse gas emissions and ozone depletion, according to research published today in Nature Geoscience. Read more
NOAA-led researchers discover ocean acidity is dissolving shells of tiny snails off West Coast NOAA-led researchers discover ocean acidity is dissolving shells of tiny snails off West Coast A NOAA-led research team has found the first evidence that acidity of continental shelf waters off the West Coast is dissolving the shells of tiny free-swimming marine snails, called pteropods, which provide food for pink salmon, mackerel and herring, according to a new paper published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B. Read more
New study: U.S. power plant emissions down New study: U.S. power plant emissions down CIRES, NOAA scientists find switch to natural gas power plants means fewer air pollutants Power plants that use natural gas and a new technology to squeeze more energy from the fuel release far less of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide than coal-fired power plants do, according to a new analysis accepted for publication Jan. 8 in the journal Earth’s Future, a journal of the American Geophysical Union. The so-called “combined cycle” natural gas power plants also release significantly less nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide, which can worsen air quality. Read more
CIRES, NOAA observe significant methane leaks in a Utah natural gas field CIRES, NOAA observe significant methane leaks in a Utah natural gas field On a perfect winter day in Utah’s Uintah County in 2012, CIRES scientists and NOAA colleagues tested out a new way to measure methane emissions from a natural gas production field. Their results, accepted for publication in Geophysical Research Letters, constitute a proof-of-concept that could help both researchers and regulators better determine how much of the greenhouse gas and other air pollutants leak from oil and gas fields. Read more
Greenhouse gases continue climbing; 2012 a record year Greenhouse gases continue climbing; 2012 a record year NOAA’s updated Annual Greenhouse Gas Index (AGGI), which measures the direct climate influence of many heat-trapping gases like carbon dioxide and methane, shows 2012 continued the steady upward trend that began with the Industrial Revolution of the 1880s. Last year, CO2 at the peak of its cycle reached 400 ppm for one month at all eight Arctic sites for the first time. Read more
NOAA real-time beach and water quality data now available for Lake St. Clair NOAA real-time beach and water quality data now available for Lake St. Clair Independence Day is right around the corner, and Michigan's Lake St. Clair residents and tourists are gearing up for a holiday weekend filled with fishing, swimming and boating activities. Beach managers can now view NOAA water quality predictions in real-time, instead of waiting 24 hours as before, to make timely decisions to safeguard public health and avoid unnecessary beach closures. 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