Oceanic

The Hoover Dam reservoir is at an all-time low

Lake Mead, the reservoir created by the Hoover Dam, that feeds water to 25 million people across Western states, is historically low. On June 9th, the water level dipped to 1,071.57 feet above sea level, narrowly beating a record low last set in 2016. The lake surface has dropped 140 feet since 2000, leaving the… Read more

Climate tech is about to fly commercial

A greenhouse gas-tracking technology is about to go commercial. Greenhouse gas detectors will soon take flight on an Alaska Airlines-run Boeing 737-9, in an effort to help federal scientists get even more information about how we’re changing the climate. The tools would measure concentrations of planet-heating pollution in the air, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric… Read more

Get ready for a busy Atlantic hurricane season

The 2021 Atlantic hurricane season is shaping up to be busier than average. There’s a 60 percent chance of an above-normal season this year. Up to 20 named storms and as many as 10 hurricanes are expected, according to a forecast published today by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). They also forecast up… Read more

Future hurricane seasons might start two weeks early

Next year’s Atlantic hurricane season could begin on May 15th if officials decide this year to move its formal start date up by two weeks. The decision will likely be made this spring, during meetings held by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and World Meteorological Organization (WMO). 2022 is the earliest that the… Read more

Watch 2020’s hurricane season unfold in a mesmerizing four-minute timelapse

This week, NASA released a grim four-minute timelapse of the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season, a mesmerizing display of last year’s record-breaking string of tropical commotion. 2020’s season “smashed records with an unprecedented 30 named storms, marking the fifth year in a row with above-average hurricane activity,” NASA said in a blog accompanying the video. The… Read more

Thanks, I love NOAA’s satellite-themed Valentine’s Day cards

Let’s be honest, when most people think of places to get good Valentine’s Day cards, the US government’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Twitter account is probably not high up on the list. And yet, it’s posted some cards on the NOAA Satellites account, and I think they’re absolutely fantastic. Finding a Valentine’s Day… Read more

Cowboy e-bikes now navigate you around air pollution

Cowboy’s app now lets riders choose the fastest or healthiest routes. Belgian e-bike maker Cowboy has delivered on its promise to help riders avoid pollution on their commutes with a new air quality navigation feature in the company’s latest iOS and Android apps. Owners now have the option to pick the quickest or healthiest routes… Read more

Damages from US weather and climate disasters reached a new record in 2020

The US experienced a record number of billion-dollar disasters in 2020. Twenty-two disasters cost the US a cumulative $95 billion last year, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). That smashes previous records set in 2011 and 2017, when 16 disasters caused at least a billion dollars of damage. NOAA’s announcement is the… Read more