FSU atmospheric scientist available to comment on what El Niño conditions mean for winter, spring

By: Patty Cox | Published: October 2, 2023 | 12:30 pm | SHARE: El Niño, the climate phenomenon characterized by warmer-than-average sea surface temperatures across the equatorial central and eastern Pacific Ocean, has far-reaching impacts on weather patterns across the globe.  El Niño events can last for several months up to a year or more and typically peak in the winter months of the Northern Hemisphere, so we’re likely to see El Niño conditions continue to strengthen over the coming months, said Alyssa Atwood, an assistant professor in Florida State University’s Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Science, part of the College of Arts and Sciences.

Modeling ocean to understand natural phenomena

Associate Professor Yoshi N. Sasaki, a specialist in Physical Oceanography, is involved in research into rising sea levels—particularly in coastal areas of Japan. He spoke about what he has learned so far about the relationship between ocean currents, sea level and climate change, what research he is currently focusing on, and the appeal of research that uses numerical modeling to uncover natural phenomena.

El Niño and record warm ocean temperatures: FSU climatologist offers insight on what they mean for hurricanes

By: Patty Cox | Published: July 20, 2023 | 12:52 pm | SHARE: Record-breaking high temperatures in the Atlantic Ocean combined with El Niño spell uncertainty for the Atlantic hurricane season. El Niño, known to reduce hurricane activity in the Atlantic basin, developed early this summer.  With the conflicting factors of El Nino in the Pacific leading to fewer hurricanes and warm Atlantic Ocean temperatures favoring hurricane development, seasonal forecasts are for near-normal activity with lower confidence than other years.

Air Force Weather-funded research aims to improve predictability of extreme weather

As extreme weather devastates communities worldwide, scientists are using modeling and simulation to understand how climate change impacts the frequency and intensity of these events. Although long-term climate projections and models are important, they are less helpful for short-term prediction of extreme weather that may rapidly displace thousands of people or require emergency aid.

Synthesizing 200 Years of Research on the Urban Impact on Regional Climate and Extreme Weather

Urbanization has noticeable effects on processes at and near the Earth’s surface, affecting weather and climate. An international team of scientists reviewed more than 500 sources from the scientific literature produced over nearly 200 years on effects of urbanization on extreme weather and regional climate to better synthesize this knowledge and direct future research.

Canadian wildfires and air quality: MSU experts can comment on public health, climate change impacts, pets and wildlife

Contact:  Emilie Lorditch, University Communications, [email protected]; Nardy Baeza Bickel, MSU Health Sciences: [email protected]; EAST LANSING, Mich. – Wildfires in Canada are creating hazy skies and prompting air quality concerns from the Midwest to the East Coast of the United States. Michigan…

It’s been 30 years since Hurricane Andrew made U.S. landfall. Are hurricanes getting more deadly? UWM expert Clark Evans can weigh in.

Clark Evans can discuss how hurricane activity in the U.S. is changing and how it’s affecting the modeling used to predict their trajectories. His lab at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee uses numerical models to better understand and improve prediction of…

UAlbany-led study finds exposure to sun, heat and humidity can exacerbate symptoms of mental disorders

New research links information on New York weather and hospital emergency department visits to assess how summer weather conditions impact people living with mental disorders. Findings can inform strategies to mitigate severe symptoms and improve patient care.

Wildfires disproportionately affect the poor

With fires raging from California to Alaska, the 2022 wildfire season is off to a violent start. It’s an ominous sign of what promises to be another record-breaking fire season in the U.S. Roughly 2 million acres burned last month. And major fires are currently scorching Idaho, Utah and California, threatening tens of thousands of Americans’ homes and livelihoods. Many of those at risk are lower-income Americans who face canceled homeowners insurance policies and rising premiums, according to new research from the University of Georgia.

FAU Experts for the 2022 Hurricane Season

With the 2022 Atlantic hurricane season forecast to be above average activity with a higher probability of major hurricanes making landfall along the continental U.S. coastline, several FAU faculty experts are available to discuss various issues surrounding hurricane preparedness, evacuation and aftermath.

Virginia Tech tropical storm expert encourages people to be ‘weather aware’ as hurricane season starts June 1

A Virginia Tech meteorologist with expertise in hurricanes and tropical storms encourages people to prepare for the Atlantic hurricane season that begins June 1 in part by finding a trusted area weather source and paying attention to local weather alerts. “During hurricane…

Can University of Oklahoma Research Team Clear Up Biases in Artificial Intelligence?

An American Meteorological Fellow, Amy McGovern has been studying severe weather phenomena since the late 1990s. During her career, she has witnessed a rapid emergence in the AI field, all while developing what she hopes are trustworthy AI methods to avert weather and climate disasters. Lately, however, McGovern and researchers from Colorado and Washington have noticed grave disparities in AI, noting that the methods are not objective, especially when it comes to geodiversity.

Climate change is driving plant die-offs in Southern California, UCI study finds

Irvine, Calif., June 21, 2021 – A shift is happening in Southern California, and this time it has nothing to do with earthquakes. According to a new study by scientists at the University of California, Irvine, climate change is altering the number of plants populating the region’s deserts and mountains. Using data from the Landsat satellite mission and focusing on an area of nearly 5,000 square miles surrounding Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, the research team found that between 1984 and 2017, vegetation cover in desert ecosystems decreased overall by about 35 percent, with mountains seeing a 13 percent vegetation decline.

Johns Hopkins Expert Available to Discuss Heat Wave in U.S. West

As triple-digit temperatures scorch millions in California and the Desert West, stoking wildfires and exacerbating drought conditions, Johns Hopkins experts can discuss the environmental and health impacts of the heat wave, and how officials can better prepare for the rest…

Rutgers Expert Available to Discuss Spring Allergy Season in N.J.

New Brunswick, N.J. (April 20, 2021) – Rutgers University–New Brunswick allergy specialist Leonard Bielory is available for interviews on the spring allergy season in New Jersey. “One can expect a brisk allergy season this year since we had a lot…

Rutgers Expert Can Discuss Dearth of Snow, Windy Weather and Record Heat in March in N.J.

New Brunswick, N.J. (April 13, 2021) – Rutgers University–New Brunswick climatologist David A. Robinson is available for interviews on the dearth of snow in March in New Jersey following a very snowy February, as well as the frequently windy weather and some…

Tiny raindrops pose big challenges: Argonne researchers improve climate models, prediction of climate change

Drizzle in marine clouds is a key parameter for achieving more accurate climate predictions. Argonne developed novel techniques to retrieve drizzle properties and will expand its research to the aerosol impact on clouds and precipitation.

Explosive Origins of ‘Secondary’ Ice—and Snow

Where does snow come from? This may seem like a simple question to ponder as half the planet emerges from a season of watching whimsical flakes fall from the sky–and shoveling them from driveways. But a new study on how water becomes ice in slightly supercooled Arctic clouds may make you rethink the simplicity of the fluffy stuff. It describes definitive, real-world evidence for “freezing fragmentation” of drizzle as a major source of ice in slightly supercooled clouds. The findings have important implications for forecasting weather and climate.

Rutgers Expert Can Discuss Near-Record February Snow, North American Snow Cover

New Brunswick, N.J. (March 9, 2021) – Rutgers University–New Brunswick climatologist David A. Robinson is available for interviews on the seventh snowiest February since 1895 in New Jersey as well as the fourth largest North American snow cover in February in 55…

Nuclear War Could Trigger Big El Niño and Decrease Seafood

A nuclear war could trigger an unprecedented El Niño-like warming episode in the equatorial Pacific Ocean, slashing algal populations by 40 percent and likely lowering the fish catch, according to a Rutgers-led study. The research, published in the journal Communications Earth & Environment, shows that turning to the oceans for food if land-based farming fails after a nuclear war is unlikely to be a successful strategy – at least in the equatorial Pacific.