NOAA Science Report features new data-gathering drones, advances in wind, weather and water forecasts NOAA Science Report features new data-gathering drones, advances in wind, weather and water forecasts Discovering a 207-year-old whaling ship, advancing air-quality forecasts, improving storm surge and wind forecasts, and deploying the first-ever drone-based tagging of endangered whales. These are a few of the more than 60 stories about NOAA’s many notable scientific accomplishments from the past year that are featured in the 2022 NOAA Science Report, which emphasizes a wide range of impacts that NOAA science advancements have on the lives of Americans. Read more
Vanda Grubišić named director of NOAA Global Monitoring Laboratory Vanda Grubišić named director of NOAA Global Monitoring Laboratory Vanda Grubišić, Ph.D., a research meteorologist and experienced scientific leader, has been named the director of NOAA’s Global Monitoring Laboratory in Boulder, Colorado. Grubišić will join one of the world’s preeminent research institutions for monitoring long-term changes in the atmosphere, including those caused by climate change. She starts on March 27. Read more
NOAA, Smithsonian and fed partners seeking suggestions to update key climate literacy guide NOAA, Smithsonian and fed partners seeking suggestions to update key climate literacy guide Suggestions and feedback are due by May 31, 2023 NOAA, as part of the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP), is requesting suggestions on structure, topics, and content to help update a key national climate literacy guide used by educators, policymakers, and scientists across the U.S. and internationally for more than a decade. Read more
NOAA scientist’s patented design expands the limits of atmospheric research NOAA scientist’s patented design expands the limits of atmospheric research New instrument is smaller, lighter and much more sensitive to low concentrations of nitrogen oxides NOAA scientist Andrew Rollins was unsatisfied with the current, research-grade instrument for measuring nitrogen oxides. So he built a better one. Read more
NOAA's Sargassum FAQ NOAA's Sargassum FAQ A commonly found floating algae known as “Sargassum” has inundated the coastlines of the tropical Atlantic and Caribbean since 2011. These alga float at the sea surface, where they can aggregate to form large mats in the open ocean. A 2020 study led by researchers at AOML shows how Sargassum entered and flourished in the tropical Atlantic and Caribbean. A tool based on that research, known as the Sargassum Inundation Report (SIR) has been developed to help managers deal with these periodic inundations. Read more
Unexplored Waters of Alaska and California Mapped During Uncrewed Expedition Unexplored Waters of Alaska and California Mapped During Uncrewed Expedition The Aleutians Uncrewed Ocean Exploration expedition has resulted in the mapping of more than 45,000 square kilometers (17,375 square miles) of seafloor in previously unexplored areas around Alaska’s Aleutian Islands and off the California coast. Read more
Atmospheric Rivers: What are they and how does NOAA study them? 11Jan2023 Read more You may have heard of atmospheric rivers in the news lately due to the intense rainfall and flooding along the U.S. West Coast. These naturally occurring air currents can bring both severe disruption and great benefit through the heavy rain and mountain snows that contribute to regional water supply. NOAA studies atmospheric rivers to improve forecasting capabilities as well as to improve our understanding of atmospheric river impacts on communities and the physical environment. Read more
One facility makes a big contribution to Salt Lake’s winter brown cloud 25Jan2023 Read more The 2.4 million people who live along Utah’s Wasatch Front experience some of the most severe winter particulate matter air pollution in the nation. Now, analysis of measurements taken during NOAA research flights in 2017 indicates that emissions from a single source, a magnesium refinery, may be responsible for a significant fraction of the fine particles that form the dense winter brown clouds that hang over Salt Lake City. Read more
When volcanoes roar: protecting the public and tracking long-term climate impacts 5Jan2023 Read more 2022 was a busy year for volcanic eruptions with Hawaii's Mauna Loa and Kilaeau erupting simultaneously, along with Mount Semeru, Indonesia and the Hunga undersea volcano in Tonga. While the United States Geological Survey is the primary agency that monitors volcanic activity in the United States, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) oversees safety systems for tsunamis and other volcano-related threats, as well as studies the impact of volcanic gasses on our global climate. Read more
Towering wildfire clouds have big impacts on the stratosphere 23Feb2023 Read more Smoke from wildfire-generated thunderstorms has greater impacts on the stratosphre, lasts longer and acts differently than scientists previously thought, a new research paper in the journal Science concludes. Read more
Low ice on the Great Lakes this winter 17Feb2023 Read more Ice coverage has reached a record low in the Great Lakes for this time of year. Read more