Ask NOAA experts about Great Lakes ice cover in a Tweet Chat on Wednesday, March 14 Ask NOAA experts about Great Lakes ice cover in a Tweet Chat on Wednesday, March 14 On Wednesday, March 14, two NOAA scientists will take questions over Twitter about ice cover on the Great Lakes over the past few months and on the long-term trends. Read more
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
NOAA projects 30-percent maximum Great Lakes ice cover for 2021 winter 21Jan2021 Read more NOAA scientists project the maximum Great Lakes ice cover for 2021 will be 30 percent, higher than last year’s maximum of 19.5 percent, but part of a long-term pattern of declining ice cover likely driven by climate change. Read more
Emissions of a banned ozone-depleting gas are back on the decline 10Feb2021 Read more New analyses of global air measurements show that five years after an unexpected spike in emissions of the banned ozone-depleting chemical chlorofluorocarbon CFC-11, they dropped sharply between 2018 and 2019. 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
Congress reauthorizes law supporting partnerships to advance ocean science 13Jan2021 Read more Congress voted on January 1, 2021 to reauthorize and strengthen the National Oceanographic Partnership Program, a 23-year old program created by Congress to facilitate ocean-related partnerships between federal agencies, academia and industry to advance ocean science research and education.The reauthorization passed Congress as an amendment included in Section 1055 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021. Read more
Frigid Arctic air outbreaks may be predictable, new research suggests 28Jan2021 Read more Known for precipitating outbreaks of Arctic air, stratospheric events in polar regions often cause other kinds of extreme weather. Since the stratosphere takes a long time to recover after these events, scientists may be able to improve predictability of extreme weather weeks ahead of time. Read more