Tag Archive for: Climate Change

It’s Close but 2020 Likely to End Up Hottest Year On Record

Just how warm Earth stays this December will determine if 2020 goes down as the hottest year on record. And it’s looking a lot like it will.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration calculated Monday that last month globally was the second hottest November on record, behind only 2015. Yet NASA and a European climate monitoring group said it was the hottest November on record. NASA has coverage over the poles that NOAA does not — and both the Arctic and Antarctic were very warm in November, NOAA climate scientist Ahira Sanchez-Lugo said to explain the difference.

San Diego Researchers Looking to Grow a Climate Solution

Salk Research Institute Greenhouse manager McKenna Hopwood opened a door to what she jokingly calls “the meat locker.”

“Alright, here we are,” Hopwood said as she pointed to the ceiling.

Bags of drying plants, both stalks and roots, hang from the ceiling, prompting the comparison to a slaughterhouse meat cooler. But, of course, the hanging carcasses here are plants.

From Droughts to Flooding, Here’s How California is Trying to Better Understand Atmospheric Rivers

California weather is rarely average. Historically, the state has well above or well below average rain and snow. One of the keys to prepare for these wild swings is a better understanding of atmospheric rivers. The Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes or CW3E is at the heart of this research.

Colorado Activates Municipal Drought Response for Second Time Ever as Water Forecast Worsens

The state of Colorado has activated the municipal portion of its emergency drought plan for only the second time in history as several cities say they need to prepare for what is almost certainly going to be a dangerously dry 2021.

Delta Dilemma: Fishing or Fresh Water

The quiet of morning broke as a battery of boats roared toward first light on the open water.

Dozens of anglers, competing in teams of two for the biggest bass they could find, disappeared beyond the weed beds and tule thickets into the maze of rivers and sloughs. Each was chasing a cash prize and the satisfaction of conquering one of the West’s premier spots for sportfishing: the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta.

 

Southern California is in for a Reprieve from Dangerous Fire Weather

Southern Californians are in for a reprieve from dangerous fire weather that plagued the region for more than a week, with lower temperatures and moister air in the forecast — though still no rain.

Opinion: Steps to Cool the Climate Will Improve Water Quality, Too

While much of Washington remains mired in partisan gridlock, there is new cooperation in two areas critical to managing climate change: reducing carbon emissions from agriculture and shifting to electric vehicles.

Newsom Taps New Head of Powerful California Air Board

California Gov. Gavin Newsom tapped a veteran regulator Wednesday as the next chair of the powerful Air Resources Board, which implements the state’s ambitious climate change goals.

Drought Conditions Could Stretch to Spring, Set Stage for Another Rough Fire Season

The latest outlook from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration suggests that California’s persistent drought-like conditions could last through the winter and into spring, possibly fueling another grueling fire season in 2021.

Currently, three-quarters of California is experiencing at least moderate drought conditions.

“Keep in mind, we’re coming off the driest May-through-October period, statewide at least, across California, Arizona and New Mexico,” said Mark Svoboda of the National Drought Mitigation Center in Nebraska.

Forecasting three to four months out is a dodgy proposition for scientists, but NOAA’s modeling shows the likelihood of relatively dry weather through February.

‘These Mountains Could Turn Into Jelly.’ Above Santa Cruz, Residents Fear Devastating Mudslides

The fire that rampaged through the San Lorenzo Valley in August and September burned hotter and destroyed more acreage than anyone in these rugged, rural and breathtaking mountains can remember.