ScienceDaily: Severe Weather News

NASA ships sensors for seafaring satellite to France

Thu, 23 May 2013 09:10:10 EDT

Three NASA-built instruments that are integral components of the next in a series of U.S./European ocean altimetry satellites have arrived in France for integration with their spacecraft in preparation for a 2015 launch. Jason-3 will extend the two-decade series of satellites that are tracking global sea level changes and enabling more accurate weather, ocean and climate forecasts.

Drought makes Borneo's trees flower at the same time

Wed, 22 May 2013 08:53:53 EDT

Tropical plants flower at supra-annual irregular intervals. In addition, mass flowering is typical for the tropical forests in Borneo and elsewhere, where hundreds of different plant timber species from the Dipterocarpaceae family flower synchronously. This phenomenon is all the more puzzling because both temperature and day length are relatively constant all year round due to geographical proximity to the equator.

Climate change and wildfire

Tue, 21 May 2013 15:26:26 EDT

Concerns continue to grow about the effects of climate change on fire. Wildfires are expected to increase 50 percent across the United States under a changing climate, over 100 percent in areas of the West by 2050 as projected by some studies. Of equal concern to scientists and policymakers alike are the atmospheric effects of wildfire emissions on climate. A new article synthesizes recent findings on the interactions between fire and climate and outlines future research needs.

NASA’s BARREL mission launches 20 balloons

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:45:45 EDT

In Antarctica in January, 2013 -- the summer at the South Pole -- scientists released 20 balloons, each eight stories tall, into the air to help answer an enduring space weather question: when the giant radiation belts surrounding Earth lose material, where do the extra particles actually go?

Frogs, salamanders and climate change

Sat, 18 May 2013 15:37:37 EDT

Increasingly erratic rainfall patterns can lead to declines in southeastern frog and salamander populations, but protecting ponds can improve their plight.

European winter weather harder to forecast in certain years

Wed, 15 May 2013 08:52:52 EDT

Weather forecasters have a tougher job predicting winter conditions over Europe in some years over others, concludes a new study.

First X-class solar flares of 2013

Tue, 14 May 2013 08:37:37 EDT

On May 13, 2013, the sun emitted an X2.8-class flare, peaking at 12:05 p.m. EDT. This is the the strongest X-class flare of 2013 so far, surpassing in strength the X1.7-class flare that occurred 14 hours earlier. It is the 16th X-class flare of the current solar cycle and the third-largest flare of that cycle. The second-strongest was an X5.4 event on March 7, 2012. The strongest was an X6.9 on Aug. 9, 2011.

Impacts of strong solar flares

Tue, 14 May 2013 08:35:35 EDT

Given a legitimate need to protect Earth from the most intense forms of space weather -- great bursts of electromagnetic energy and particles that can sometimes stream from the sun -- some people worry that a gigantic "killer solar flare" could hurl enough energy to destroy Earth, but this is not actually possible.

Satellites see double jeopardy for Southern California fire season

Mon, 13 May 2013 17:45:45 EDT

New insights into two factors that are creating a potentially volatile Southern California wildfire season come from an ongoing project using NASA and Indian satellite data by scientists at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.; and Chapman University, Orange, Calif.

Dust in the clouds: Cirrus clouds form around mineral dust and metallic particles

Thu, 09 May 2013 14:21:21 EDT

Cirrus clouds influence global climate, cooling the planet by reflecting incoming solar radiation and warming it by trapping outgoing heat. Understanding the mechanisms by which these clouds form may help scientists better predict future climate patterns. Scientists have now identified the major seeds on which cirrus clouds form.

Decline in snow cover spells trouble for many plants, animals

Tue, 07 May 2013 13:44:44 EDT

For plants and animals forced to tough out harsh winter weather, the coverlet of snow that blankets the north country is a refuge, a stable beneath-the-snow habitat that gives essential respite from biting winds and subzero temperatures.

More hurricanes for Hawaii?

Sun, 05 May 2013 14:59:59 EDT

Hawaii, fortunately, has been largely free from hurricanes, only two having made landfall in more than 30 years. Now a new study shows that Hawaii could see a two-to-three-fold increase in tropical cyclones by the last quarter of this century.

Scientists retrieve temperature data from Japan Trench observatory

Wed, 01 May 2013 10:13:13 EDT

With the successful retrieval of a string of instruments from deep beneath the seafloor, an international team of scientists has completed an unprecedented series of operations to obtain crucial temperature measurements of the fault that caused the devastating Tohoku earthquake and tsunami in March 2011.

Storm study reveals a sting in the tail

Wed, 01 May 2013 09:06:06 EDT

Meteorologists have gained a better understanding of how storms like the one that battered Britain in 1987 develop, making them easier to predict.

Finding a sensible balance for natural hazard mitigation with mathematical models

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 15:16:16 EDT

Uncertainty issues are paramount in assessing risks posed by natural hazards and in developing strategies to alleviate their consequences. A new model estimates the balance between costs and benefits of mitigation following natural disasters, as well as rebuilding defenses in their aftermath.

Exploring the saltiness of the ocean to study climate change

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 13:13:13 EDT

Details are emerging from a recent research expedition to the Sub-Tropical North Atlantic. The objective of the expedition was to study the salt concentration (salinity) of the upper ocean. Scientists explored the essential role of the ocean in the global water cycle.

NASA mission to study what disrupts radio waves

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 11:56:56 EDT

A NASA-funded sounding rocket mission will launch from an atoll in the Pacific in the next few weeks to help scientists better understand and predict the electrical storms in Earth's upper atmosphere These storms can interfere with satellite communication and global positioning signals.

New metric to measure destructive potential of hurricanes

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 09:12:12 EDT

Researchers have developed a new metric to measure seasonal Atlantic tropical cyclone activity that focuses on the size of storms in addition to the duration and intensity, a measure that may prove important when considering a hurricane’s potential for death and destruction. Just ask the survivors of Hurricane Sandy.

Scientists detect 'dark lightning' energy burst linked to visible lightning

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 21:03:03 EDT

Researchers have identified a burst of high-energy radiation known as 'dark lightning" immediately preceding a flash of ordinary lightning. The new finding provides observational evidence that the two phenomena are connected, although the exact nature of the relationship between ordinary bright lightning and the dark variety is still unclear, the scientists said.

Asian monsoon is getting predictable: Strong correlation between summer monsoon and preceding climate pattern

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 13:58:58 EDT

For much of Asia, the pace of life is tuned to rhythms of monsoons. Its variations can mean the difference between drought and flood. Now a new study reports on a crucial connection that could drastically improve the ability of forecasters to reliably predict the monsoon a few months in advance.

Precision agriculture improves farming efficiency, has important implications on food security

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 11:07:07 EDT

Precision agriculture promises to make farming more efficient and should have an important impact on the serious issue of food security, according to a new study. A scientist assesses how there is potential to manage land more effectively to improve the farming economy and crop quality, and to ensure food security.

Less rainfall expected for the Hawaiian Islands

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 10:24:24 EDT

Almost imperceptibly, rainfall over the Hawaiian Islands has been declining since 1978, and this trend is likely to continue with global warming to the end of this century, according to scientists.

Superstorm Sandy shook the U.S., literally

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 21:39:39 EDT

When superstorm Sandy turned and took aim at New York City and Long Island last October, ocean waves hitting each other and the shore rattled the seafloor and much of the United States – shaking detected by seismometers across the country, researchers found.

'First step' in addressing effects of climate change

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 15:44:44 EDT

A new report on potential effects of climate change uses existing observations and science-based expectations to identify how climate change could affect habitats, plants and animals within the sanctuary and adjacent coastal areas.

U.S. drought falls below 50 percent for first time in 10 months

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 13:40:40 EDT

The area of the contiguous United States in moderate drought or worse fell below 50 percent for the first time since last June, according to the latest edition of the U.S. Drought Monitor.

Blue tits provide insight into climate change, bird study shows

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 12:45:45 EDT

Researchers believe that the size of birds’ nests created in response to changing weather patterns may be partly to blame for reproductive failures over the last two years.

NASA and JAXA's GPM mission takes rain measurements global

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 12:40:40 EDT

As anyone who has ever been caught in a sudden and unexpected downpour knows, gaps still exist in our knowledge about the behavior and movement of precipitation, clouds and storms. An upcoming satellite mission from NASA and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) aims to fill in those gaps both in coverage and in scientists' understanding of precipitation.

Cutting specific pollutants would slow sea level rise, research indicates

Sun, 14 Apr 2013 19:31:31 EDT

With coastal areas bracing for rising sea levels, new research indicates that cutting emissions of certain pollutants can greatly slow down sea level rise. Reductions in the four pollutants that cycle comparatively quickly through the atmosphere could forestall the rate of sea level rise by roughly 25 to 50 percent.

Arctic nearly free of summer sea ice during first half of 21st century, experts predict

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 14:28:28 EDT

For scientists studying summer sea ice in the Arctic, it's not a question of "if" there will be nearly ice-free summers, but "when." And two scientists say that "when" is sooner than many thought -- before 2050 and possibly within the next decade or two.

Warmest summers in last two decades in northern latitudes were unprecedented in six centuries

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 19:48:48 EDT

Through developing a statistical model of Arctic temperature and how it relates to instrumental and proxy records derived from trees, ice cores, and lake sediments, scientists have shown that the warmest summers in the last two decades are unprecedented in the previous six centuries.

New technique measures evaporation globally

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 19:46:46 EDT

Researchers have developed the first method to map evaporation globally using weather stations, which will help scientists evaluate water resource management, assess recent trends of evaporation throughout the globe, and validate surface hydrologic models in various conditions.

Dark lightning: Are airplane passengers exposed to radiation from intense bursts of gamma-rays from thunderclouds?

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 08:27:27 EDT

Scientists have known for almost a decade that thunderstorms are capable of generating brief but powerful bursts of gamma-rays called terrestrial gamma-ray flashes, or TGFs. Because they can originate near the same altitudes at which commercial aircraft routinely fly, scientists have been trying to determine whether or not terrestrial gamma ray flashes present a radiation hazard to individuals in aircraft. In the middle of the storm, radiation doses could be roughly equal to a full-body CT scan, preliminary research suggests.

Snowflakes falling on cameras: What snow looks like in midair

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 08:20:20 EDT

University of Utah researchers developed a high-speed camera system that spent the past two winters photographing snowflakes in 3-D as they fell – and they don’t look much like those perfect-but-rare snowflakes often seen in photos.

New live bi-ocular animations of two oceans now available

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 14:41:41 EDT

NOAA's GOES-13 and GOES-15 weather satellites sit 60 degrees apart in a fixed orbit over the eastern and western U.S., respectively, providing forecasters with a look at the movement of weather systems in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The GOES Project announced the creation of satellite animations of both GOES-13 and GOES-15 to show continuous views of both oceans, with conjoined images reminiscent of binoculars.

2013 wintertime Arctic sea ice maximum fifth lowest on record

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 14:14:14 EDT

During the cold and dark of Arctic winter, sea ice refreezes and achieves its maximum extent, usually in late Feb. or early Mar. According to a NASA analysis, this year the annual maximum extent was reached on Feb. 28 and it was the fifth lowest sea ice winter extent in the past 35 years.

Environmental policies matter for growing megacities

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 13:13:13 EDT

A new study shows clean-air regulations have dramatically reduced acid rain in the United States, Europe, Japan and South Korea over the past 30 years, but the opposite is true in fast-growing East Asian megacities, possibly due to lax antipollution rules or lack of enforcement.

Thin clouds drove Greenland's record-breaking 2012 ice melt

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 13:13:13 EDT

If the sheet of ice covering Greenland were to melt in its entirety tomorrow, global sea levels would rise by 24 feet. Three million cubic kilometers of ice won't wash into the ocean overnight, but researchers have been tracking increasing melt rates since at least 1979. Last summer, however, the melt was so large that similar events show up in ice core records only once every 150 years or so over the last four millennia.

Rising temperature difference between hemispheres could dramatically shift rainfall patterns in tropics

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 16:25:25 EDT

One often ignored consequence of global climate change is that the Northern Hemisphere is becoming warmer than the Southern Hemisphere, which could significantly alter tropical precipitation patterns, according to a new study by climatologists.

NASA's SORCE satellite marks a decade in the sun

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 10:22:22 EDT

NASA's Solar Radiation and Climate Experiment (SORCE) satellite has been providing data on the sun's irradiance for 10 years. SORCE measures electromagnetic radiation produced by the sun and the power per unit area of that energy on Earth's surface.

Surveying roads at 100 km/h

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 09:12:12 EDT

Germany's road network has a hard time dealing with wind and weather, tires and steel. Until now, however, surveying the damage caused to asphalt and concrete was laborious and expensive. A new laser scanner is cheaper, faster and more precise.

Extreme algal blooms: The new normal?

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 15:10:10 EDT

A research team has determined that the 2011 record-breaking algal bloom in Lake Erie was triggered by long-term agricultural practices coupled with extreme precipitation, followed by weak lake circulation and warm temperatures. The team also predicts that, unless agricultural policies change, the lake will continue to experience extreme blooms.

Gene discovery may yield lettuce that will sprout in hot weather

Fri, 29 Mar 2013 12:53:53 EDT

Plant scientists have identified a lettuce gene and related enzyme that put the brakes on germination during hot weather -- a discovery that could lead to lettuces that can sprout year-round, even at high temperatures.

Americans back preparation for extreme weather and sea-level rise

Fri, 29 Mar 2013 09:06:06 EDT

The majority of Americans express support for stronger coastal development codes, according to a new survey.

Summer melt season getting longer on Antarctic Peninsula

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 13:37:37 EDT

New research from the Antarctic Peninsula shows that the summer melt season has been getting longer over the last 60 years. Increased summer melting has been linked to the rapid break-up of ice shelves in the area and rising sea level.

'Moderate' New England red tide forecasted for 2013

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 13:54:54 EDT

New England is expected to experience a "moderate" red tide this spring and summer, report scientists studying the toxic algae that cause blooms in the Gulf of Maine. The "red tide" is caused by an alga Alexandrium fundyense, which produces a toxin that can cause paralytic shellfish poisoning. Red tide typically occurs annually along some portions of the Gulf of Maine coast. This year's outlook is similar to the 2012 red tide which was also classified as "moderate."

Elevated carbon dioxide in atmosphere trims wheat, sorghum moisture needs

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 12:44:44 EDT

Agronomy researchers found that elevated levels of carbon dioxide in the earth's atmosphere have an upside -- a reduced need for moisture in some important crops.

Climate models are not good enough, researcher argues

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 09:35:35 EDT

Only a few climate models were able to reproduce the observed changes in extreme precipitation in China over the last 50 years.

Seabirds need effective marine conservation in wake of discard ban, warns study

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 20:54:54 EDT

Conservationists have renewed urgent calls for effective marine protection in European waters, after a new study revealed that the recent EU ban on fish discards could have a significant short-term impact on some seabirds.

Understanding the continuous corn yield penalty

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 13:32:32 EDT

As escalating corn prices have encouraged many farmers to switch to growing corn continuously, they wonder why they have been seeing unusually high yield reductions over the past several years.

Restoration and recommendations for flood-damaged bottomlands

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 14:27:27 EDT

Although the 2012 drought in the Midwest may have dimmed the memories for some of the 2011 Ohio and Mississippi River flood, engineers, landowners, conservationists, crop scientists and soil scientists haven't forgotten. They are working hard to repair levees and restore the flood damaged Birds Point-New Madrid floodway in preparation for the next big flood which will eventually happen.

Ten times more hurricane surges in future, new research predicts

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 15:15:15 EDT

How much worse will the frequency of extreme storm surges get as temperatures rise in the future? How many extreme storm surges like that from Hurricane Katrina, which hit the U.S. coast in 2005, will there be as a result of global warming? New research shows that there will be a tenfold increase in frequency if the climate becomes two degrees Celsius warmer.

When it rains these days, does it pour? Has the weather become stormier as the climate warms?

Sun, 17 Mar 2013 15:48:48 EDT

Scientists have shown that the signature of an increase in storminess could be extracted from precipitation data for the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State. The scientists suspect the same signature lies hidden under naturally stormier weather at other locations as well.

An accurate way of predicting landslides

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 09:54:54 EDT

A landslide can seriously injure or even kill people. Now, a new early warning system will be the first to employ geological data in tandem with the latest weather forecasts to provide a concrete warning in emergency situations. A deluge of rain pelts down on the already thoroughly sodden ground. Rivers burst their banks as local residents haul up sandbags to protect themselves from the rising waters.

Remote clouds responsible for climate models' glitch in tropical rainfall

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 15:13:13 EDT

New research shows that cloud biases over the Southern Ocean are the primary contributor to the double-rain band problem that exists in most modern climate models.

Monsoon failure key to long droughts in Southwest

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 15:11:11 EDT

Long-term droughts in the Southwestern North America often mean failure of both summer and winter rains, according to new tree-ring research. For the severe, multi-decadal droughts that occurred from 1539 to 2008, both winter and summer rains were sparse year after year. The finding contradicts the commonly held belief that a dry winter rainy season is generally followed by a wet monsoon season, and vice versa.

Pittsburgh's leaky faucet: How aging sewers are impacting urban watersheds

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 12:42:42 EDT

Aging sewer systems are spilling a considerable amount of nitrogen into urban watersheds, diminishing both the quality of water and ecosystems' habitats. However, many studies documenting the impacts of nitrogen on urban environs have not properly estimated the contribution of leaky sewer systems -- until now.

Tracking sediments' fate in largest-ever dam removal

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 14:57:57 EST

Any day now, the world's largest dam-removal project will release a century's worth of sediment. For marine geologists, it's a unique opportunity to study natural and engineered river systems.

Changes in heart attack timing continue years after Hurricane Katrina

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 12:44:44 EST

The upheaval caused by Hurricane Katrina seems to have disrupted the usual timing of heart attacks, shifting peak frequency from weekday mornings to weekend nights, in a change in pattern that persisted a full five years after the storm, according to new research.

Higher heart attack rates continue 6 years after Katrina

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 12:42:42 EST

New Orleans residents continue to face a three-fold increased risk of heart attack post-Katrina -- a trend that has remained unchanged since the storm hit in 2005, according to new research.

Statistical physics offers a new way to look at climate

Tue, 05 Mar 2013 14:58:58 EST

New research suggests that statistical simulations rooted in basic physics could make for new climate models that are more useful and require less brute-force computing power. A new article shows how statistical simulations can be applied to fluid jets like the ones in Earth's atmosphere and oceans.