Research on clouds and the atmosphere. Covers Southern Ocean clouds, ocean-derived aerosols, sea-ice cloud formation, and dust after impacts.
A recent study by Colorado State University atmospheric scientists aims to settle the debate on black carbon's impact on cloud formation. The research found that black carbon is not as important as previously thought for ice particle formation in mid-level clouds.
Hurricane Laura strengthened as a hurricane, with NASA providing infrared imagery showing its structure and rainmaking capabilities. The storm is over 350 miles in diameter, with hurricane-force winds extending outward up to 45 miles from the center.
Tropical Depression 14 is forecast to strengthen into a tropical storm and potentially become a hurricane, according to NASA's Terra satellite data. The depression's coldest cloud top temperatures were as cold as minus 60 degrees Fahrenheit, generating heavy rainfall and affecting Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula.
The Suomi NPP satellite captured images of California's massive wildfires, which merged to form two complexes: LNU Lightning Complex and SCU Lightning Complex. The fires were started by lightning strikes and are fueled by hot air that creates pyrocumulus clouds.
A study analyzing the February 2020 lockdown in China found a significant drop in nitrogen oxides, a gas associated with smog, of 50% compared to expected levels. However, aerosol particle amounts and cloud properties showed no dramatic changes, suggesting negligible climate-related impacts.
Genevieve strengthened into a hurricane, with the most powerful thunderstorms in its eyewall having coldest cloud top temperatures as low as minus 70 degrees Fahrenheit. The storm is expected to become major and bring life-threatening surf and rip current conditions to Mexico's southern coast.
NASA's Terra satellite reveals Post-Tropical Storm Fausto has lost strong storms, temperatures as cold as minus 50 degrees Fahrenheit. The National Hurricane Center confirms the system has become a remnant low-pressure area with no organized deep convection expected to return.
NASA's Terra satellite observed the remnants of Tropical Depression 10E, providing water vapor content data that sheds light on the storm's potential to develop. The analysis revealed a small area of coldest cloud top temperature, indicating the storm's strength and temperature.
NASA's Terra satellite detected powerful thunderstorms around Tropical Storm Mekkhala's center, with temperatures as cold as -80 degrees Fahrenheit. The storm is expected to move north before making landfall in southern China, bringing potential heavy rainfall.
Tropical Depression 09E strengthened into Tropical Storm Elida, with maximum sustained winds near 65 mph and a central pressure of 995 millibars. Infrared imagery from NASA's Aqua satellite confirmed the storm's transition, revealing powerful thunderstorms with cold cloud top temperatures indicating heavy rainfall potential.
Tropical Storm Jangmi formed in the Philippines and strengthened into a tropical storm on August 9. The NASA Aqua satellite measured the storm's strength, finding the most powerful thunderstorms had cloud top temperatures as cold as -70 degrees Fahrenheit.
Scientists have unexpectedly found lightning in Jupiter's upper atmosphere, with ammonia playing a crucial role. The discovery reveals a complex atmosphere that challenges previous predictions, indicating an unexpected process causing the phenomenon.
Tropical Storm Isaias is causing flooding in South and North Carolina due to heavy rain. The storm is expected to produce life-threatening flash flooding along the I-95 corridor and a risk of tornadoes from southeast Virginia to New Jersey.
NASA's Aqua satellite detected strong storms southeast of Typhoon Hagupit's center due to wind shear, with cloud top temperatures as cold as minus 63 degrees Fahrenheit. The storm made landfall in China's Zhejiang province with maximum sustained winds near 85 mph.
CloudSat captured areas of heavy rain and high-powered clouds during Tropical Storm Isaias' intensification into a hurricane. The satellite's advanced cloud-profiling radar provided new insights into the storm's vertical structure and contributed to improved global model representations.
NASA's Aqua satellite detected remnants of tropical storm Douglas, weakened by strong wind shear, as it crossed the International Date Line in the Pacific Ocean. The post-tropical low-pressure area is expected to dissipate shortly after crossing the dateline.
Tropical Storm Isaias developed into a tropical storm on July 29 with a well-defined center, according to NASA-NOAA satellites. The storm is expected to produce heavy rain and life-threatening flash flooding in Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, and the Bahamas.
Tropical Storm Douglas has weakened significantly due to strong wind shear, which has pushed the storm's clouds away from its center. The lack of deep convection in the storm is a clear indication of weakening.
Tropical Storm Douglas has weakened due to strong wind shear, with the strongest storms displaced from the center. The storm's cloud top temperatures have dropped as cold as minus 50 degrees Fahrenheit, leading to a rapid weakening trend over the past 24 hours.
A study uses hemispheric contrasts in satellite measurements to constrain possible changes in Earth's albedo since 1850 due to industrial aerosols. The results suggest that climate models underestimate preindustrial aerosol and cloud droplet concentrations.
NASA used infrared data from its Aqua satellite to track Tropical Depression Hanna's movement into Mexico. The storm brought heavy rain to Texas and broke records for rainfall in some areas, with forecasters predicting further heavy rainfall in parts of southern Texas and northern Mexico.
A new study uses satellite data to understand global cloud composition during the industrial revolution, finding that early-industrial aerosol concentrations were much higher than estimated by climate models. This could mean human-generated atmospheric aerosols are not having as strong a cooling effect as previously thought.
A high-resolution climate simulation reveals significantly increased precipitation over the monsoon trough due to global warming, driven by tropical disturbances and enhanced water vapor. The study also found distinct trends in water vapor and a stronger effect of global sea surface temperature increases on precipitation.
Tropical Storm Gonzalo is expected to produce heavy rainfall, leading to life-threatening flash floods in Barbados and the Windward Islands. NASA's Aqua satellite gathered water vapor data on July 24, showing coldest cloud top temperatures as cold as minus 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
NASA's Aqua satellite identified strongest storms surrounding Hurricane Douglas' eyewall, with coldest cloud top temperatures as low as -70 degrees Fahrenheit. The storm is expected to move near or over the Hawaiian Islands this weekend, bringing heavy rainfall and strong winds.
Tropical Depression 8 formed in the Gulf of Mexico on July 22, exhibiting strong storms and coldest cloud top temperatures indicating heavy rainfall potential. NASA's Aqua satellite data shows the depression moving west-northwestward with a better-defined center near the northeastern end of a broadly curved convective band.
NASA's infrared data revealed strong thunderstorms with cold cloud top temperatures around Tropical Storm Douglas, indicating potential for heavy rainfall. Despite the threat, Douglas is moving westward at 15 mph and is expected to strengthen into a hurricane on July 23.
Tropical Storm Gonzalo has broken a record as the earliest seventh named storm on record in the Atlantic basin. Cloud top temperatures captured by NASA's Aqua satellite indicate strong storms with high rainfall potential.
Tropical Storm Douglas is strengthening due to low wind shear and warm sea surface temperatures, with the potential to become a hurricane in the next few days. The storm's cloud tops reached as cold as minus 70 degrees Fahrenheit, indicating strong storms capable of generating heavy rainfall.
A Rutgers University study suggests geoengineering could reduce global warming's most dangerous effects if carbon emissions are drastically reduced. The technology involves creating sulfuric acid clouds to block solar radiation.
Tropical Depression 7E formed in the Eastern Pacific Ocean near Mexico's Baja California Peninsula and is expected to track over cool waters, weakening it. NASA's Terra satellite detected strong storms with cold cloud top temperatures, indicating potential for heavy rainfall.
Tropical Depression 6E has several small areas of strong storms with cold cloud top temperatures, indicating potential for heavy rainfall. The depression is expected to dissipate due to colder sea surface temperatures and lack of intensity requirements.
Research using satellite observations and air mass trajectory modeling reveals that aerosols can extend cloud lifetime and brightness in the stratus-to-cumulus transition zone. This can lead to reduced planetary warming by reflecting more solar radiation back into space.
Tropical Storm Cristina has become better organized with a curved band around the center and ragged eye visible in satellite images. Cloud top temperatures as cold as minus 70 degrees Fahrenheit indicate strong storms with the potential to generate heavy rainfall, and maximum sustained winds near 70 mph.
Tropical cyclones use warm air as fuel to form and strengthen. Cloud top temperatures provide information about the strongest storms within a tropical cyclone, which can indicate heavy rain and potential hurricane formation.
NASA's Aqua satellite gathered water vapor data on Tropical Storm Cristina, revealing highest concentrations of water vapor and coldest cloud top temperatures around the center of circulation. The analysis indicates that storms with such conditions have the potential to produce heavy rainfall.
Tropical cyclones are made of hundreds of thunderstorms, and infrared data can show where the strongest storms are located. NASA research has found that cloud top temperatures as cold as minus 80 degrees Fahrenheit indicate strong storms with potential to generate heavy rainfall.
Researchers measured gas motions throughout the Milky Way and a nearby galaxy, finding that cold molecular gas motions appear to fluctuate in velocity, reminiscent of ocean waves. The team discovered that equidistantly spaced structure shows distinctive pattern, with periodic spacing likely resulting from gravitational instability.
Tropical Storm Edouard is being battered by strong southwesterly winds and wind shear, displacing its strongest storms. The storm's cloud top temperatures indicate potential for heavy rainfall as it transitions into a post-tropical system.
Tropical Depression Four-E formed on June 29 and is forecast to weaken as it moves northwestward. The depression's maximum sustained winds have decreased to near 30 mph with higher gusts.
A new study suggests that challenges simulating clouds are causing some climate models to be more sensitive to carbon dioxide, potentially leading to a warmer future. The updated models have shown a greater range of responses than previous generations, with some models showing higher sensitivity and others lower.
A computer science researcher has developed an algorithm called Orchestra that reduces spikes in resource demands in cloud computing, allowing companies to maintain smooth operations despite increased work-from-home usage. The solution uses lightweight monitoring and performance-based models to adjust cloud resources in real-time.
NASA's Aqua satellite gathered infrared imagery and cloud top temperature data on Tropical Depression Cristobal, revealing areas of powerful thunderstorms with potential for heavy rainfall. The storm is expected to strengthen later today and regain tropical storm strength in the next 48 hours.
Cristobal has the potential to generate heavy rainfall, with NASA's AIRS instrument revealing cold cloud top temperatures indicating strong storms. The storm is expected to produce extreme rainfall amounts through the end of the week, causing life-threatening flash floods and mudslides in affected areas.
Tropical Storm Cristobal generated large amounts of rainfall over Mexico's Yucatan and Central America. NASA analyzed cloud top temperatures using satellite data to assess the storm's strength.
Tropical Cyclone Nisarga strengthened significantly before making landfall in west central India, according to NASA infrared data. The storm intensified from 40 knots to hurricane strength within 12 hours, with cloud top temperatures reaching as cold as minus 63 degrees Fahrenheit.
Atmospheric scientists at Colorado State University discovered a region of the Southern Ocean with clean air free from aerosols produced by humans, providing a rare example of an environment minimally affected by human activity.
NASA's Aqua satellite gathers temperature information about Tropical Storm Mangga's cloud tops, revealing powerful thunderstorms with potential to generate heavy rainfall. The strongest storms have coldest cloud top temperatures, indicating strong and potentially destructive weather.
NASA satellites provided critical imagery of Typhoon Amphan as it approached a landfall in northeastern India. The storm's cloud top temperatures indicated strong storms with potential for heavy rainfall.
Tropical Cyclone Amphan has weakened and its eye is covered by high clouds, according to NASA-NOAA's Suomi NPP satellite imagery. The storm is forecast to make landfall near Kolkata on May 20, bringing powerful storms with heavy rainfall potential.
Tropical Storm Arthur remains poorly organized with strongest storms along the southeastern coast of North Carolina. Infrared data reveals strong thunderstorms with cloud top temperatures as cold as minus 63 degrees Fahrenheit, indicating a high risk of heavy rainfall.
A low-pressure area, System 90L, is developing in the Straits of Florida, with NASA's Aqua satellite measuring cloud top temperatures indicating stronger storms. The system has a high chance of development into a tropical or subtropical storm by Saturday.
NASA-NOAA satellites track Typhoon Vongfong's landfall in the Philippines, revealing signs of a mature tropical system. The storm is weakening as it moves northward over Visayas and Luzon regions.
Researchers at the University of Reading studied historic records from a Scottish research station to investigate how Cold War nuclear bomb tests affected rainfall. They found that cloudy days with high radioactivity generated charge were associated with thicker clouds and 24% more rain.
Typhoon Vongfong, also known as Typhoon Ambo, is strengthening to a typhoon strength in the Philippines. NASA's Terra satellite detected powerful storms with cold cloud top temperatures, indicating strong rainfall potential.
Researchers at Florida State University have found that even minor changes in atmospheric conditions can lead to the development of hurricanes. The study used numerical models to simulate cloud formation and found that most simulations produced major hurricanes in a range of latitudes, including areas near the equator.
Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University have identified a previously unknown mechanism that enables the rapid growth of atmospheric particles. This discovery could help model climate change and reduce air pollution in cities by explaining how tiny particles form and grow.
The collaboration provides new insights into Jupiter's turbulent weather, including the association of lightning outbreaks with specific cloud structures. The team maps lightning flashes onto optical images, revealing a three-way combination of clouds and clear regions that facilitate convection and energy release.
The Gemini North telescope has collected some of the highest resolution images of Jupiter ever obtained from the ground, complementing Hubble observations to reveal details about Jovian weather. The images show that lightning strikes and giant storm systems are formed in large convective cells over deep clouds of water ice and liquid.
Researchers at the University of Cincinnati are exploring potential security weaknesses in voice-activated speakers like Alexa and Google Home. They found that hackers can exploit devices using a passive attack called 'voice command fingerprinting', which involves eavesdropping on data transferred between the smart speaker and the clou...