US greenhouse gas emission drop

The United States is pumping less heat-trapping greenhouse gases into the atmosphere today than it did a decade ago, the Environmental Protection Agency reported this week, a welcome departure from the trend of rapidly accelerating emissions elsewhere in the world's biggest industrialized countries.
Emissions of carbon dioxide and other human-produced greenhouse gases – like methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons and others – fell by 3.4 percent between 2011 and 2012, and have dropped by about 10 percent since 2005, the EPA said Tuesday

The drop in emissions was due both to short-term weather factors and longer-term shifts in the U.S. energy mix. "The decline ... was driven mostly by power plant operators switching from coal to natural gas, improvements in fuel efficiency for transportation and a warmer winter that cut demand for heating," the Los Angeles Times reported.

http://www.weather.com/news/science/environment/us-greenhouse-gas-emissions-make-big-drop-target-2020-goals-20140417

Carbon dioxide rises

 There's more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere today than at any time in the past 800,000 years – 402 parts per million, in measurements earlier this week – according to a report from the mountaintop observatory in Hawaii that measures concentrations of the greenhouse gas.

Carbon dioxide (CO2) the most common and most important of the human-produced greenhouse gases, because it is released from so many sources around the world (like factories, cars, airplanes and power plants) and because it can remain in the atmosphere for centuries, adding to global warming for many human lifetimes.

Carbon dioxide levels passed 400 ppm for the first time in recorded history last May and reached that milestone two months earlier this year, on March 16. They rose just above 402 ppm on April 7, and are projected to remain above 400 ppm for the next couple of months, according to Mashable.

This month's measurements are believed to be the highest in at least 800,000 years – by far the highest since humans have walked on Earth – based on CO2 readings taken from air bubbles in ice cores drilled deep within many glaciers around the world, and from corals taken from deep in the ocean, Mashable notes.

http://www.weather.com/news/science/environment/carbon-dioxide-rises-highest-levels-800000-years-20140410

Hot in the west cold in the Midwest

The first three months of 2014 were among the coldest January-to-March periods on record in several states, according to the federal government's quarterly State of the Climate Report.

Wisconsin and Indiana shivered through their third-coldest first quarter of any year on record, while Ohio, Michigan and Illinois chalked up their fourth-coldest January-to-March periods.

Eight other states – Arkansas, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and West Virginia – each experienced a month among their top 10 coldest ever during first three months of the year. Statewide temperature records through NOAA's National Climatic Data Center date to 1895.

Record daily cold high and low temperatures outnumbered record daily warm temperatures by a roughly five-to-one margin.

On the other end of the spectrum, the January-to-March 2014 period was the warmest on record in Arizona and California, while near-record warmth prevailed in Nevada (which had its third-warmest March), Alaska (third), Oregon (ninth) and Utah (fifth).

Tornadoes count well below average, March 2014

For the second consecutive year, U.S. March tornado counts are among the lowest on record.

Primarily 21tornadoes touched down across the nation in March.

The lowest March U.S. tornado count on record dating to 1950 was six tornadoes in March 1951, according to The Weather Channel's severe weather expert Dr. Greg Forbees.

If this sounds familiar, March 2013 was the least tornadic March in 35 years, with only 18 tornadoes. 

March continues a slumbering tornado trend for the year. A preliminary 66 tornadoes have been tallied in 2014 as of April 1; this is just over one-third of the 10-year average-to-date of 186 tornadoes.

http://www.weather.com/tv/tvshows/americas-morning-headquarters/march-tornadoes-may-set-record-low-20140321

Massive 8.2 magnitude Earthquake slams chile

A powerful magnitude-8.2 earthquake struck off northern Chile on Tuesday night, setting off a small tsunami that forced evacuations along the country's entire Pacific coast. Five people were crushed to death or suffered fatal heart attacks, a remarkably low toll for such a powerful shift in the Earth's crust, according to the Associated Press.

The quake triggered a 7-foot tsunami in Chile with warnings issued across South and Central America and into Hawaii, though most warnings were lifted by daybreak Wednesday.

The quake was so strong that the shaking experienced in Bolivia's capital about 290 miles (470 kilometers) away was the equivalent of a 4.5-magnitude tremor, authorities there said.

Chile is one of the world's most earthquake-prone countries because just off the coast, the Nazca tectonic plate plunges beneath the South American plate, pushing the towering Andes cordillera to ever-higher altitudes.

The latest activity began with a strong magnitude-6.7 quake on March 16 that caused more than 100,000 people to briefly evacuate low-lying areas. Hundreds of smaller quakes followed in the weeks since, keeping people on edge as scientists said there was no way to tell if the unusual string of tremors was a harbinger of an impending disaster.

http://www.weather.com/tv/tvshows/americas-morning-headquarters/massive-82-magnitude-earthquake-slams-chile-photos-20140402

St. Louis Tornado Confirmed as Severe Weather Hits Midwest, Southeast, Ohio Valley

Thursday's severe weather threat began early in the St. Louis morning with a tornado that left damage scattered across roads and yards in University City.

The National Weather Service relayed reports of twisted trees as well as damage to roofs and fences, and initial damage surveys rated the tornado at EF1. The survey also found the tornado was approximately 100 yards wide and left a damage path about a half-mile long.

The St. Louis Office of Emergency Management said approximately 100 homes suffered damage from the storm.

http://www.weather.com/news/tornado-central/severe-weather-plains-southeast-20140403

Severe Weather Outbreak, Including Tornadoes, Targets Midwest, South

True to form for early April, a severe weather outbreak is in progress in parts of the Midwest and South.

Severe thunderstorms dumped golf-ball size hail in the city of St. Louis around midday Wednesday; there were many reports of hail at least one inch in diameter in the metropolitan area, in some cases enough to completely cover yards in hail. Flash flooding caused motorists to become stranded in parts of the city.

Hail up to baseball size was reported in parts of eastern Kansas Wednesday evening. Windshields were busted out at the Kansas Star Casino near Mulvane, Kan.

Early Thursday morning, a brief tornado touched down in the St. Louis metro area, damaging approximately 100 homes.

http://www.weather.com/tv/tvshows/americas-morning-headquarters/severe-weather-tracker-page

Baseball-sized hail rains down on Denton, TX

A thunderstorm dropped monster hailstones in Denton, Texas, just north of the Dallas-Fort. Worth metroplex Thursday afternoon.

A severe thunderstorm warning was posted for the area at the time. Social media is brimming with incredible photos of the baseball-sized hail. Several pictures show damages to cars. No word on any injuries.

Several tornado watches are posted through the evening from the Southern Plains into the Ohio and Tennessee Valleys.

http://www.weather.com/news/tornado-central/denton-texas-large-hail-severe-storms-photos-20140403

Night Tornadoes are particularly deadly

The only thing more frightening than the sight and sound of a tornado approaching is one that strikes while you're asleep. It comes in the middle of the night, enveloping your neighborhood with dangerous winds, swirling debris, and possibly deadly consequences. 
Nocturnal tornadoes, as they are called, are like nightmares that have come to life. They strike under the cover of darkness and are often among the most deadly weather phenomenon. 

Nocturnal tornadoes are particularly dangerous for several reasons," says Dr. Greg Forbes "One is that it’s nearly impossible to see the tornado coming, so getting and heeding warnings is crucial. Another is that people are often asleep and caught unaware. People are usually at home, often in structures that are not as sturdy as their place of work. Mobile homes are particularly vulnerable.

According to a study done by Northern Illinois University, the fatality rate from nocturnal tornadoes has actually increased in the past century, while the fatality rate from daytime tornadoes has decreased. Researchers found that tornadoes during the overnight period are 2.5 times more likely to kill as those occurring during the daytime hours

http://www.weather.com/news/tornado-central/night-tornadoes-deadly-20130318#

NY's lakes freezing, thawing shows warming trend

NEWCOMB, N.Y.— Wolf Lake in the Adirondack High Peaks region is considered a "heritage lake," one of the most pristine freshwater bodies in the northeastern United States.

It remains as it was when European settlers arrived in North America. As part of a private preserve bordering the state-owned 300-square-mile High Peaks Wilderness Area, it has escaped pollution and the ravages of invasive plants and animals. It's one of a dwindling number of lakes with heritage brook trout and calcium-rich soils buffering its water from fish-killing acid rain.

But there's no shelter from climate change, and Wolf Lake's pristine days may be numbered. A new study shows the length of time the lake is covered with ice each winter has declined by three weeks since 1975, indicating a change that may alter the lake's ecology and harm cold-water species such as trout.

Beier said researchers have found warming to be a cause of algae blooms in several lakes in Ontario, Canada, and similar algae increases have been noted in some Adirondack lakes.

The study was conducted at the Adirondack Ecological Center in Newcomb, part of the State University of New York's College of Environmental Science and Forestry. The center is in the 23-square-mile Huntington Wildlife Forest.

The loss of ice time was the largest decrease seen in any published data from the Adirondacks and in the top 10 percent of any reported in the U.S. and Canada, Beier said.

"We're finding that the lakes aren't opening much earlier in the spring; the change is mostly in the fall, with freeze-upcoming later," Beier said. While warmer temperatures were also noted in spring, the effect was lessened by snow cover that insulates the ice.

With very little snow and unusually mild temperatures over the past winter, lakes were iceless by late March or early April, about a week earlier than the 10-year average, Beier said.

Environment Coolest February Since 1994 for Land Areas, According to NOAA's State of the Climate Global Report

   

Large areas of colder-than-average weather made February 2014 the coolest February since 1994 for the Earth's land areas, according to the monthly global State of the Climate report released Wednesday by NOAA's National Climatic Data Center. At the same time, portions of the world's oceans experienced record February warmth.

Land: Chilly February for Many Areas

The global temperature averaged over all land areas, but excluding the oceans, was still 0.31 Celsius degree (0.56 Fahrenheit degree) above the 20th-century average, making it the 44th-warmest February since 1880 over land. However, this was the lowest February reading since 1994, which was also the last cooler-than-average February over the earth's land masses.

Oceans: Still Very Warm

The globally-averaged sea surface temperature was the seventh-warmest on record for the month of February, coming in 0.45 Celsius degree (0.81 Fahrenheit degree) above the 20th-century average, with a very small margin of error.

According to the report, Northern Hemisphere oceans outside the tropics – i.e., north of 20 degrees latitude – were warmer last month than in any other February on record.

Globally: Warm Streak Continues

For the Earth as a whole, including both land and ocean areas, 2014 tied 2001 as the 21st-warmest February on record, with a global average temperature 0.41 Celsius degree (0.74 Fahrenheit degree) above the 20th-century average. The margin of error for this measurement was 0.12 Celsius degree (0.22 Fahrenheit degree).

The global reading was substantially cooler than last February, which was the eighth-warmest on record globally; but it was slightly warmer than February 2012.

This was the 29th consecutive February and 348th consecutive month overall with a global temperature above the 20th-century average. The last time any month was cooler than the 20th-century average was February 1985.

http://www.weather.com/news/science/environment/coolest-february-1994-ncdc-global-climate-report-20140319

6 unexpected effects on climate change

Along with its anxiety-inducing effects, climate change also offers an interesting opportunity to consider fascinating, interconnected processes on Earth. The smallest to the largest components of the planet – from bacteria to volcanoes – all somehow feel the effects of a changing climate. Here are six of the most unexpected ways climate change impacts Earth.

6. Desert bacteria dies

Desert soil may appear desolate and void of life, but it actually teems with bacteria. Bacterial colonies can grow so thick that they form sturdy layers called biocrusts that stabilize soil against erosion

5.Volcanic eruptions explode

As glacial meltwater floods into oceans and the global sea level rises with climate change, the distribution of weight on the Earth's crust will shift from land to sea.

4. Oceans darken

Climate change will increase precipitation in some regions of the world, resulting in stronger-flowing rivers. Stronger river currents stir up more silt and debris, which all eventually flows into the ocean and makes the ocean more opaque. 

3. Allergies worsen

As climate change causes springtime to spring out earlier in the year, sneeze-inducing pollen will ride the airwaves that much earlier in the year as well. This will increase the overall pollen load each year, and could make people's allergies worse. Some temperature and precipitation models have shown that pollen levels could more than double by the year 2040.

2. Ant invasions slow

Pheidole megacephala, also known as the big-headed ant, is one of the top 100 most invasive species on Earth. Hoards of these insects thrive in South America, Australia and Africa, and their voracious populations spread rapidly. As invasive animals, they steal habitat and resources from native species, disrupting regional ecosystems and jeopardizing biodiversity. They have even been known to hunt bird hatchlings.

1. Sunlight floods polar seafloor

As sea ice melts, more sunlight will bathe shallow coastal regions around the poles. Seafloor communities of worms, sponges, and other invertebrates accustomed to existing in darkness will begin to experience longer periods of sunlight each summer. Recent research has shown that this shift could significantly alter these communities, by allowing seaweeds and other marine plant-life to smother invertebrates. This transition from invertebrate-dominated communities to algae-dominated communities has already been observed in pockets of both the Arctic and Antarctic coastlines, and could significantly decrease biodiversity in these regions.

http://www.livescience.com/38666-climate-change-unexpected-effects.html

2/3 of Americans not troubled by climate change

Although most Americans believe global warming’s effects will take hold during their lifetime, they don’t expect these changes to pose a serious threat to their way of life, according to a new poll.

A Gallup survey found that 54 percent of Americans believe global warming is already impacting the planet; another 3 percent think these effects will occur in a few years and 8 percent think these effects will occur in their lifetime. Meanwhile, 16 percent think global warming’s effects will happen sometime after they die, and 18 percent don’t expect these effects to ever take hold.

But the way the public perceives the reality of global warming seems to be somewhat disconnected from how they perceive the threat of a warming world. Just 36 percent of people in the United States think global warming will eventually disrupt their way of life, they survey found.

Short-term weather (as opposed to long-term climate) is something that can affect Americans immediately and it’s been known to sway climate beliefs. Studies and polls have shown that when it’s unusually hot, the public is more prone to accept the reality of global warming. But when it’s cold outside, their climate concerns melt away.

A recent study in the journal Nature Climate Change found that local weather tends to create a priming effect for concerns about global warming, even when people are educated about the difference between weather, which includes storms and single events, and climate, which describes patterns that occur over long periods, such as decades, centuries or millennia.

http://www.weather.com/news/science/two-thirds-americans-not-troubled-climate-change-20140314

St. Patrick Day weather!

Winter Storm to Bring Snow, Some Ice From Midwest to Northeast Sunday and St. Patrick's Day. 

• Winter Storm Possible Saturday night through Monday.

• Accumulating snow, some ice in Midwest, Ohio Valley, Middle Atlantic and Northeast.

• Uncertainty remains high with exact accumulation amounts and locations.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  http://www.weather.com/safety/winter/winter-storm-sunday-monday-st-patricks-day-midwest-east-20140314
  
  
  
  
  
  

U.S. Severe alerts map

Tornado Warning

Tornado Watch

Severe Thunderstorm Warning

Severe Thunderstorm Watch

Winter Weather Statement

High Wind Advisory

Flood Warning

Flood Watch / Flood Statement

Hurricane Local Statement

Heat Advisory

Dense Fog Advisory

Fire Weather Advisory

Hurricane Watch

Hurricane Warning

Tropical Storm Watch

Tropical Storm Warning

Special Weather Statement

Very interesting website I found and it tells you the  weather warnings by state. This particular one is for winter storm vulcan, Tuesday night storm going into Wednesday morning getting about 3-5 inches of snow but with strong winds. 

http://www.wunderground.com/severe.asp

Arctic Sea Ice Melts Even Faster Thanks to River Discharge, NASA Says

Arctic sea ice doesn't need any help melting – it's been doing plenty of that on its own. Now, recent studies suggest other nearby waterways may be contributing to the problem.

NASA researchers have recently found water flowing into the Arctic Ocean from nearby rivers has been speeding up the melting of sea ice. The photo above is a before-and-after animation of the Mackenzie River Delta, which feeds into the Beaufort Sea, in Canada. The first image, with far more sea ice in the water, was taken on June 14, 2012 by NASA's Aqua satellite. The second photo, depicting a cleared-out Arctic Ocean near the delta, was taken just three weeks later, on July 5, 2012.

Here's what happened: Scientists concluded a large early-summer pulse of river water led to faster melting of sea ice. With the ice gone, the dark water then absorbed more sunlight, which warmed the sea and led to even more melting.

What's even worse, as NASA mentioned in the report, was the speed at which the warmer water busted through the ice barrier in the delta and was quickly freed into the cool sea. It was much like pouring a pitcher of warm water on an ice cube – the warm water didn't have time to cool before interacting with the ice, leading to a more rapid melting process.

http://www.weather.com/news/science/environment/arctic-sea-ice-altered-river-discharge-20140307

By 2100, earths warming can top highest forecasts

Our planet is likely to experience as much as 20 percent more warming by the end of the century than previously estimated, according to a study released this week in the scientific journal Nature Climate Change

Despite the recent slowdown in global warming, during which surface temperatures worldwide since 2000 have risen much more slowly than in previous decades, the study found that Earth's climate system may have a higher sensitivity to greenhouse gas emissions than a wide range of past estimates indicate.

The study looked primarily at two things: how aerosols both cool and warm the atmosphere, and the sensitivity of the Earth's transient climate response to changes in the level of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases (GHG) in the atmosphere.

During this time, emissions of carbon dioxide and other GHGs in the atmosphere have only increased, a fact that has prompted suggestions that Earth's climate system may not be as sensitive to increasing GHG emissions as once thought.

If his study is correct, over the long term the planet is actually more sensitive to increasing GHG emissions than previously thought, which means that a doubling of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere will cause temperatures to rise by 1.3°C to 1.7°C (2.34°F to 3.06°F).

http://www.weather.com/news/science/environment/add-20-percent-long-term-global-warming-estimates-says-study-20140311

Winter Storm Threat Evolves as Extreme Cold Eases in South, East

The series of storms is forecast to begin this weekend. These will pose forecast challenges related to timing and position of the areas of snow versus wintry mix versus rain. Along the northern and western fringes of these storms will be issues with slippery travel and travel delays.

The first two systems appear to be rather weak, but they can spread a swath of precipitation from the lower Mississippi Valley and the southern Plains to the Northeast Friday into Monday. 

A swath of moderate to heavy snow is forecast during the first storm Friday and Saturday reaching from northern Missouri and southeastern Iowa through Chicago and Detroit and then on to Toronto and Ottawa, Ontario, and Montreal and Quebec City, Quebec. Light snow and a wintry mix will affect northern upstate New York and northern New England. Expect significant travel delays from this storm in the Midwest and in part of southern Canada.

http://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/winter-storms-evolve-as-cold-eases-up/22681233

WINTER STORM MAXIMUS

Fridays forecast                                                                   Saturday forecast

Winter Storm Maximus, the 13th named storm of the winter season in the U.S., will help to build snowpack in many drought-suffering locations of the West, and delight skiers and snowboarders in the Rockies.

If that's not enough, Winter Storm Maximus will also produce a messy swath of snow, sleet and freezing through the Plains, Great Lakes, Ohio Valley and interior Northeast.


http://www.weather.com/news/weather-winter/winter-storm-maximus-forecast-california-rockies-midwest-northeast-snow-ice-20140129