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El Niño forecasts extended to 18 months with innovative physics-based model

A new conceptual model, XRO, significantly improves predictive skill of ENSO events at over one year in advance, offering a transparent view into the mechanisms of equatorial Pacific recharge-discharge physics. This improves conventional climate model forecasting and provides robust quantification of extratropical Pacific, tropical Ind...

SourceUniversity of Hawaii at Manoa·JournalNature·TypeMeta-analysis·DateJun 26, 2024

NTU Singapore-led study estimates that between 1980 and 2020, 135 million premature deaths could be linked to fine particulate matter pollution

A study by NTU Singapore researchers found that fine particulate matter pollution was associated with approximately 135 million premature deaths globally between 1980 and 2020. The impact of pollution was worsened by climate variability phenomena, leading to a 14% rise in premature deaths.

SourceNanyang Technological University·JournalEnvironment International·TypeMeta-analysis·DateJun 10, 2024

U.S. drought-monitoring system outpaced by climate changes

A new study finds that the US Drought Monitor is not keeping pace with climate change, leading to frequent severe droughts being classified as rare. The consequences are dire, with some regions spending more time in extreme drought conditions than federal guidelines allow, potentially leaving them without adequate aid.

SourceDartmouth College·JournalAGU Advances·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateMay 20, 2024

2023 was the hottest summer in two thousand years

Researchers from the University of Cambridge and Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz found that 2023 was the hottest summer in the Northern Hemisphere in over two millennia, with temperatures 2.07C warmer than the coldest summer on record. The study uses tree ring data to show that global warming is having a profound impact, especially...

SourceUniversity of Cambridge·JournalNature·DateMay 14, 2024

AMS Science Preview: Hawaiian climates; chronic pain; lightning-caused wildfires

A new study establishes official climate divisions in Hawaii, improving climate research and forecasting. Chronic pain sufferers who spend time outdoors experience stronger weather-based effects, while lightning-initiated wildfires are responsible for more than half the acres burned in the contiguous United States.

SourceAmerican Meteorological Society·JournalBulletin of the American Meteorological Society·DateApr 26, 2024

How extratropical ocean-atmosphere interactions can contribute to the variability of jet streams in the Northern Hemisphere

Researchers from Kyushu University found that ocean-atmosphere coupling enhances teleconnection patterns, leading to more meandering jet streams and extreme weather events. The study highlights the significance of extratropical ocean-atmosphere interactions in climate variability.

SourceKyushu University·JournalCommunications Earth & Environment·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateMar 28, 2024

Co-amplification in tropical and extratropical atmospheric fluctuations caused heavy rainfall over Japan in August 2021

Researchers found that joint action of tropical and extratropical variations led to persistent heavy rainfall over Japan. The study revealed a link between upper-tropospheric blocking high, near-surface atmospheric flow, and cumulus convection in enhancing the northwestern Pacific subtropical high.

SourceUniversity of Tsukuba·JournalProgress in Earth and Planetary Science·DateJan 17, 2024

Orbitally-induced strong monsoons facilitated early human dispersal to East Asia

Researchers found that the Asian summer monsoon's strengthening played a key role in Homo sapiens' dispersal from Africa to East Asia during the last interglacial period. The study integrated paleoanthropological data with high-resolution reconstructions of the monsoon, suggesting a link between climate change and human migration.

SourceChinese Academy of Sciences Headquarters·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 10, 2024

Riding the whims of the wind

Researchers develop a mathematical model that analyzes the future survival of plants in a changing climate by studying how far wind can carry seeds. The model provides fast and reliable predictions of seed movement, considering factors like seed type, plant height, and wind speed.

SourceUniversity of Missouri-Columbia·JournalEcological Modelling·DateNov 30, 2023

How a climate model can illustrate and explain ice-age climate variability

Researchers used a well-tested climate model to depict changes in natural climate variability during the last peak glacial period. The study found that internal mechanisms, such as variations in salinity and temperature, drove the multi-centennial climate variability, resulting in fluctuations in sea ice extent and Greenland temperatures.

El Niño's chang­ing pat­terns: Human influ­ence on nat­u­ral vari­abil­ity

Two new studies suggest that human-induced climate change is now a dominant factor in shaping El Niño patterns. The research reveals that the 'Walker switch' mechanism, triggered by changes in solar radiation, instigates swift adjustments in sea-surface temperatures, influencing climate patterns globally.

SourceUniversity of Innsbruck·JournalGeophysical Research Letters·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateOct 19, 2023

Laser-based ice-core sampling for studying climate change

A new laser-based sampling system allows for higher depth resolution, enabling scientists to reconstruct continuous annual temperature changes thousands of years ago. The LMS system overcomes previous limitations in sampling ice cores, preserving critical oxygen and hydrogen isotopes needed to infer past temperatures.

SourceRIKEN·JournalJournal of Glaciology·DateSep 19, 2023

Insolation affected ice age climate dynamics

A recent study by German and Austrian researchers used stalagmites to document the impact of summer insolation on ice age climate dynamics. The findings suggest that warm phases appeared primarily during peak Northern Hemisphere summer insolation, with model simulations confirming these results.

SourceHeidelberg University·JournalCommunications Earth & Environment·DateJul 31, 2023

In years after El Niño, global economy loses trillions

A recent study by Dartmouth researchers finds that global economic losses from El Niño can persist for several years after the event, with a significant impact on the world's poorest nations. The study projects total losses of $84 trillion for the 21st century, highlighting the need for climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies.

SourceDartmouth College·JournalScience·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateMay 18, 2023

Massive iceberg discharges during the last ice age had no impact on nearby Greenland, raising new questions about climate dynamics

A new study from Oregon State University found that massive iceberg discharges during the last ice age triggered rapid warming in Antarctica but had no effect on temperatures in Greenland. This discovery challenges current understanding of global climate dynamics and raises more questions than answers.

SourceOregon State University·JournalNature·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateApr 24, 2023

Sea level rise poses particular risk for Asian megacities

A new study highlights Asian megacities like Chennai, Kolkata, Yangon, Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, and Manila as facing significant risks from sea level rise by 2100. The research incorporates natural sea level fluctuations to show how climate change amplifies this effect, leading to more frequent extreme flooding events.

SourceNational Center for Atmospheric Research/University Corporation for Atmospheric Research·JournalNature Climate Change·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateMar 3, 2023

Researchers propose a more effective method to predict floods

A team of researchers from Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University and other institutions has identified a flexible and user-friendly model for predicting flood frequency in a changing environment. The fractional polynomial-based regression method is more effective than existing models, which often fail to account for factors like climate ...

SourceXi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University·JournalJournal of Hydrology·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateJan 9, 2023

New method helps understand the global organic carbon cycle

Researchers developed a new approach to determine the rate of organic carbon burial in marine sediments, using data from deep-sea drilling sites. This method provides more accurate results than traditional isotope calculations, revealing higher rates of carbon sequestration during warm periods and lower rates during cooling intervals.

Study analyzes how fact-checkers from four different countries assess climate change claims

The study found that fact-checkers in the US primarily assessed existence claims, while Australians focused on solutions. Effective fact-checking presentations included visual information, concise summaries, and clear verdicts. Researchers hope to expand their research to cover the role of fact-checking in COVID-19 and other topics.

SourceUniversity of Kansas·JournalJournalism and Mass Communication·TypeSystematic review·DateDec 12, 2022

Dust transport in the upper levels of the atmosphere

A new study by researchers from the University of Oldenburg found that particles from central South America were the primary source of iron in the South Pacific during the last two glacial periods. The team's theory suggests that jet stream circulation picked up fine mineral particles on the east side of the Andes and transported them ...

SourceUniversity of Oldenburg·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeObservational study·DateNov 21, 2022

Study suggests La Niña winters could keep on coming

A new study suggests that climate change is favoring La Niña events in the Pacific Ocean. The researchers found that temperature patterns at the ocean's surface have changed, with the Pacific off South America cooling and the western Pacific warming more than elsewhere. This has led to a strengthened temperature difference between the ...

SourceUniversity of Washington·JournalGeophysical Research Letters·TypeObservational study·DateOct 3, 2022

Turning over a new leaf: Local mountain climate is affected by leaf area ratio

A Japanese research group discovered that the leaf area index of mixed-forests influences seasonal changes in the formation of a nocturnal cold-air pool at a small mountain basin. The study found that weakening of the nighttime temperature inversion occurred during leaf expansion, while strengthening occurred after leaf fall.

SourceUniversity of Tsukuba·JournalJournal of the Meteorological Society of Japan Ser II·DateSep 5, 2022

Exposure to past temperature variability may help forests cope with climate change

A new study found that regions with high past temperature variability tend to be less sensitive to current and future climate changes, offering hope for forests' ability to adapt. The research highlights the importance of considering legacy effects of past climate conditions in forest management and climate policy.

SourceCary Institute of Ecosystem Studies·JournalEnvironmental Research Ecology·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateAug 30, 2022

The first set of large ensemble simulations with a global climate system model reveal the role of internal climate variability

The study uses a global climate system model to simulate large ensemble experiments, which capture internal variabilities' impact on surface air temperature and land precipitation. The research helps improve understanding of forced climate changes and provides guidance for policymakers.

SourceInstitute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences·JournalAdvances in Atmospheric Sciences·DateJun 7, 2022