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
New ocean floats to boost global network essential for weather, climate research New ocean floats to boost global network essential for weather, climate research NOAA and partners have joined together to launch approximately 100 new Argo floats across the Atlantic ocean to collect data that supports ocean, weather and climate research and prediction. 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
Study: Reducing human-caused air pollution in North America & Europe brings surprise result: more hurricanes 11May2022 Read more A new NOAA study published today in the journal Science Advances about four decades of tropical cyclones reveals the surprising result that reducing particulate air pollution in Europe and North America has contributed to an increase in the number of tropical cyclones in the North Atlantic basin and a decrease in the number of these storms in the Southern Hemisphere. The study also found that the growth of particulate pollution in Asia has contributed to fewer tropical cyclones in the western North Pacific basin. Read more
Greenhouse gas pollution trapped 49% more heat in 2021 than in 1990, NOAA finds 23May2022 Read more The Annual Greenhouse Gas Index serves as a measure of global society's progress - or lack of progress - in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Read more
Projected increase in space travel may damage ozone layer 21Jun2022 Read more Scientists from NOAA and The Aerospace Corp. modeled the climate response of the stratosphere to increased future emissions of black carbon from rockets burning kerosene fuel. Read more
NOAA and Saildrone launch seven hurricane-tracking surface drones 3Aug2022 Read more In partnership with NOAA, Saildrone Inc. is deploying seven ocean drones to collect data from hurricanes during the 2022 hurricane season with the goal of improving hurricane forecasting. For the first year, two saildrones will track hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico. Read more
Study validates accuracy of NOAA’s smoke forecasting model during the Camp Fire 5Jul2022 Read more A research team led by scientists from the University of California Berkeley and NOAA found that HRRR-Smoke accurately predicted the intensification of smoke pollution from the Camp Fire. Read more