Articles tagged with Atmospheric Science
A new report identifies areas in the Amazon Basin where falling river levels during El Niño months can increase the risk of immobility. The study analyzes data from 90 fluviometric stations to pinpoint localities where prolonged drought can affect mobility, agriculture, and access to services.
A study finds a direct link between reduced winter sea ice in the Barents and Kara Seas and summer droughts in eastern Europe and central Asia. The researchers used historical records of sea ice and atmospheric conditions to find a mechanistic link between winter sea ice cover and summer drought risk.
New research reveals a dramatic decline in suitable habitat for nearly 1,000 cactus species, with over a quarter at risk of losing 80% of their habitat by the end of the century. Climate change makes extreme events more frequent, and conventional distribution models fail to capture these impacts.
Researchers have mapped East Asian jet-stream winds and proposed tethered, ducted generators to pass the Betz limit, increasing power output by 35 times. This breakthrough could enable sustainable, high-altitude wind energy to support future decarbonization efforts.
A study found a significant connection between late-winter Pacific-North American (PNA) pattern activity and East Asian tropical cyclone activity during the following summer. The researchers identified two ocean-mediated pathways linking winter atmospheric variability to summer tropical cyclone activity.
Researchers at Jeonbuk National University found that generating electricity on-site can improve climate benefits of hydrogen production with carbon capture and storage. Combining biomass-based hydrogen production with carbon capture and storage could achieve net-negative greenhouse gas emissions.
Researchers detected high concentrations of hydrogen chloride gas on Mars, indicating volcanic activity, and found it above fresh surface fissures. This discovery corroborates previous findings of marsquakes and suggests the planet's interior is still dynamic.
A deep learning model suggests that idealized CO2 removal could lift economic output almost everywhere, with the largest gains flowing to the richest countries. However, recovery from warming-phase losses is incomplete, with daily temperature variability rebounding most easily.
The study identifies the shape of sea surface temperature gradients in two tropical oceans as the key to the Atlantic Niño's connection to ENSO. This connection, which was unstable for half a century, is strengthened by a specific gradient configuration, allowing for more accurate seasonal forecasting and climate risk warnings.
A new study examines the convergence of drought and extreme heat in Oman, revealing that inland regions are most affected by compound events. The research highlights the importance of understanding these relationships for developing region-specific climate adaptation strategies.
A new study suggests that East Antarctic ice sheet may be more resilient to extreme long-term warming due to increased snowfall and cloud cover. This effect partially offsets ice loss even under high carbon dioxide concentrations, leading to a different overall response compared to West Antarctic Ice Sheet.
Researchers have identified 500 watt-hours per kilogram as an important threshold for the energy density of a solar stratospheric aircraft's battery, making persistent flight viable across many parts of the world. This breakthrough could enable the use of unmanned solar aircraft for repeated monitoring of locations, such as wildfire tr...
The 2025 Los Angeles Eaton firestorm produced a toxic plume with 80 times normal lead concentrations, exceeding 7 million residents' 24-hour exposure limits. The plume also contained high levels of arsenic, halogens, and heavy metals, highlighting the need for mitigation strategies as urban wildfires become increasingly common.
Researchers at the University of Delaware have developed a direct air capture technology that uses a battery-inspired system to pull carbon dioxide from the air at room temperature, reducing energy costs. The technology, which consumes about 50% less energy than conventional systems, has the potential to significantly lower the cost of...
A new review shows how climate change alters microclimates, which can differ substantially from regional climate averages. Vegetation and atmospheric changes, such as cloud cover, influence local climate conditions, affecting biodiversity responses to climate change.
Researchers identify five types of war brownfields with distinct recovery paths, including remnant military fortifications and radioactively contaminated sites. These landscapes require tailored approaches, taking into account security risk, environmental consequences, and heritage value.
The American Meteorological Society has selected three winners for its 2026 Photo Contest, with cash prizes ranging from $200 to $500. The contest, which received over 1,075 submissions from 84 countries, aims to capture themes of weather, water, and climate through original photography.
Researchers found that including small drainage channels up to a certain threshold improves flood simulations by reducing inundation depth and increasing river water levels. The study suggests using a minimum upstream drainage area (Amin) as a measure to determine how far upstream channels should be represented in flood models.
Boise State University partners with Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to develop AI-powered weather forecasting system, ASPIRE, to improve precipitation forecasts and grid infrastructure resilience
Recent climate research highlights the connection between soil moisture and summertime warming in the western US, and identifies a unique Santa Ana wind subtype linked to wildfires. AI chatbots struggle to accurately reproduce local climate information, but improved placement of coordinates can reduce errors.
A new machine-learning model improves weather forecasting for 2-6 weeks, doubling accuracy over existing forecasts. The model corrects errors in existing forecasting models, enabling forecasts that beat climatologic averages for the first time.
A new study finds that a warmer future may lead to stronger storms approaching Hawaiʻi, even as the total number of storms remains uncertain. The study also reveals changes in the relationship between El Niño and La Niña and Hawaiʻi's tropical cyclone risk.
A new review by University of East Anglia scientists reaffirms human-caused global warming, citing decades of climate fingerprint research and advances in attribution science. The study strengthens the scientific basis for the 2009 Endangerment Finding and emphasizes the need for policies to limit greenhouse gas emissions.
A new global atmospheric model has achieved unprecedented high resolution, narrowing grid spacing to 220 meters, and eliminating instances of popcornlike rain. This allows for more accurate predictions of extreme local weather from a global model, advancing next-generation climate prediction and weather forecasting.
Research from Colorado State University, the University of Minnesota and Purdue University finds that volatile organic compounds from household products and building materials are major urban pollutants in the summertime. The study reveals that these sources are not accurately included in current models used by cities and states to pre...
A study by Columbia Climate School found fine particulate pollution inside Manhattan's congestion relief zone decreased by 13% after one year, with smaller decreases in surrounding areas. The policy reduced traffic congestion and generated revenue for public transit.
Researchers Daniel Tong and Siqi Ma investigated long-term trends in windblown dust activity in Texas and three upwind states. They analyzed environmental drivers of dust trends and improved a dust emission model, quantifying contributions from in-state and out-of-state dust sources to PM2.5 and PM10.
A study published in Nature Communications reveals that ancient ocean chemistry created a self-sustaining cycle that kept oxygen levels high after they first rose. This cycle, fueled by phosphorus recycling, allowed for biological productivity and maintained oxygen in the atmosphere.
A study found that warmer sea surface temperatures and terrain changes can significantly impact the intensity and path of tropical cyclones like Cyclone Shaheen. Simulations showed that increased sea surface temperature intensified the cyclone and increased rainfall along coastal areas.
A new University of Washington study shows that past emissions from carbon majors will continue to impact the environment for decades to come. The research, published in PLOS Climate, highlights the long-term effects of fossil fuel emissions on global warming.
Research highlights advances in global weather modeling, sea ice convergence, and changes in seasonal drought patterns. Tornado emergencies are also explored, with a focus on Latinx communities and the importance of building trust and partnerships.
Researchers at the University of Bath have been awarded £1.9m to develop a 'stratospheric sat-nav' to help high-altitude unmanned aircraft ride atmospheric waves and increase flight endurance. The project aims to provide energy savings similar to carrying a 20-40% bigger battery at no additional cost.
A new study by Columbia Climate School researchers estimates that natural gas use is the primary source of methane emissions in NYC, equivalent to nearly $300 million in wasted fuel. The findings provide an overlooked pathway for reducing methane emissions while potentially saving consumers millions of dollars.
A new study led by HKU reveals that increasing atmospheric dryness suppresses rainfall in tropical cyclones, constraining expected increases in typhoon rainfall. The study proposes a unified framework for understanding tropical cyclone rainfall, accounting for precipitation efficiency and atmospheric dryness.
Researchers used satellite-observed chlorophyll fluorescence to detect subtle physiological changes in evergreen trees, revealing forest stress two years before bark beetle mortality appears. The technology could provide early warning for forest managers to prepare before mortality becomes widespread, helping to mitigate climate change...
Researchers have developed a vehicle-mounted spectroscopy system that can reliably detect methane in real time while driving. The system uses mid-infrared dual-comb spectroscopy to detect gases and can be used to locate hidden methane emissions across large areas.
Researchers at UT San Antonio have found a way to create tiny clusters of disordered atoms that move oxygen ions more easily at lower temperatures, boosting fuel cell efficiency and durability. The breakthrough could help make fuel cells cheaper, more durable and easier to use outside the lab.
A new study finds that rain falling through wildfire smoke can deliver unusually large bursts of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium to ecosystems in the United States. The nutrient pulses could become an increasingly important ecological consequence of fire as wildfires become more frequent.
A large-scale expansion of offshore wind energy could lead to increased precipitation over offshore wind farm areas, while precipitation in adjacent coastal regions could decrease. This is due to wind turbines extracting part of the wind's kinetic energy and increasing atmospheric turbulence.
Researchers have discovered that iron hydride may become superionic under Earth's inner-core conditions, with hydrogen moving through a solid iron lattice. This finding provides new insights into the composition and dynamics of Earth's deep interior, and has implications for our understanding of the core's formation and evolution.
A recent study published in Nature found that Antarctica's brief rebound in 2021-2023 was caused by climate variability, not a new normal. The researchers linked the extra precipitation to the tropical warm pool, a warm patch of ocean in the western Pacific and eastern Indian oceans, which made an outsized contribution to extreme weath...
Scientists propose a colossal cliff across ancient North America may have exposed Grand Canyon's oldest rocks nearly a billion years before it was carved by the Colorado River. The study suggests the 'great escarpment' of steep rocky cliffs formed when the supercontinent Rodinia broke apart 800 million years ago.
Researchers use fiber-optic cables to detect hidden crevasses within glaciers, improving stability monitoring. This method reveals over 8% of ice volume was hidden, impacting glacier stability and sea levels.
Climate researchers have discovered a significant increase in neighborhood-level hurricane warnings, widespread wildfires in the US, and unprecedented changes in Earth's energy budget. These findings suggest that greenhouse gases are driving these trends, with smoke and fire-related carbon emissions rising due to increased aridity.
Researchers developed an AI framework that optimizes ship routes and speed profiles to reduce fuel consumption and peak air-pollutant exposure. The system achieved 20-35% improvement in optimization performance while reducing peak pollutant exposure by 34-78%.
Two remote Rossby wave trains converged to strengthen pressure gradients over northern China, driving the extreme wind event. The team found that these large-scale patterns were boosted by anomalous atmospheric circulation and enhanced winds in northern China.
Researchers analyzed nearly three decades of airborne radar observations to identify four features that aid vertically aligned storms in intensifying. These features include tight circulation near the sea surface and favorable wind orientation relative to wind shear.
A 300-million-year-old event shows that volcanic activity and orbital forcing combined to trigger rapid warming. The study reveals the importance of sustained orbital forcing in triggering positive climate-carbon cycle feedbacks, leading to massive carbon release and abrupt large-scale warming.
The 36th annual State of the Climate report reveals record highs in greenhouse gas concentrations, global sea level, and ocean heat content. Greenhouse gas concentrations reached a 53% increase from preindustrial levels, with fossil fuel emissions reaching a record high in 2025.
Researchers identified a recurring setup of atmospheric conditions that lead to prolonged periods of intense rainfall. The study found that existing operational weather forecasts can capture these large-scale patterns, paving the way for more accurate predictions of high-impact southwest monsoon events.
New study finds replacing functioning gasoline vehicles with EVs reduces lifetime greenhouse gas emissions. Even a relatively new vehicle's scrappage and replacement with an EV can deliver substantial climate benefits.
Researchers used earthquake-monitoring equipment to study hurricanes, revealing key details about storm evolution and intensification. Seismometers detected ground movements, while infrasound microphones monitored atmospheric pressure, providing valuable information on hurricane conditions.
Biochar researchers explore how changing reactor atmospheres can tailor materials for carbon storage, pollution control, and industrial applications. Alternative gases like CO2, steam, and ammonia can shape the production process and resulting materials.
The American Meteorological Society recognizes individuals and organizations making a positive difference in the world through fundamental research, public engagement, teaching, and informed decision-making. This year's honorees include Rong Fu, Paola Cessi, Sharon Nicholson, Renhe Zhang, Christian Kummerow, and David Thompson.
Asteroid impact created a massive dust cloud that trapped heat, causing widespread wildfires and spontaneous combustion. The cloud led to population collapse and atmospheric contamination, ultimately killing most dinosaurs and other species.
A new study by Duke University researchers found that atmospheric rivers contribute to marine heatwaves, with a strong association in winter months. The team's analysis of satellite data revealed that active atmospheric rivers often precede peak marine heatwave temperatures, suggesting a causal link.
Pastoral communities in Tiaty, Kenya, are adapting to climate variability by changing livestock patterns, farming practices, and settlement arrangements. These adaptations suggest a selective conversion of land from dense shrubland to mixed areas, with a focus on drought-tolerant crops and climate-resilient livestock species.
A new study from Stockholm University found that the most severe droughts in the ancient Eastern Mediterranean arose when multiple natural climate cycles coincided. This helped explain why the drought associated with the Late Bronze Age collapse were so severe, pushing societies beyond a critical hydroclimatic threshold.
Scientists have discovered that record-high Arctic stratospheric ozone levels observed in March 2024 were caused by exceptionally strong planetary waves, El Niño, and other large-scale climate oscillations. The study's findings highlight the growing importance of atmospheric dynamics in controlling Arctic ozone variability.
Researchers have developed a new metric to estimate air-conditioning and refrigeration energy demand, accounting for temperature and humidity. The study found that cooling efficiency has been declining by 2–4% per decade since 1971, with regions facing the steepest future increases in cooling demand expected in the Northwest, Great Lak...