Weather and Climate
Texas Fires Intensify
In the past week, the Texas Forest Service responded to an estimated 181 fires covering more than 210 square miles, mostly in the eastern half of the state. High winds perpetuated by Tropical Storm Lee fanned flames and exace
Guidelines Help Managers Better Utilize Climate Models
Policy makers, water managers, and others in government and academia frequently use climate model outputs in support of research and management decisions. Authors of a recent article in Eos propose guidelines for creating and applying climate scenarios to research and management questions.
Weak Monsoon Leaves Southwest Dry
The monsoon rains have yet to really drench Arizona and New Mexico, leaving much of the region as drought-ridden as it was before the onset of the seasonal rains, according to the most recent Southwest Climate Outlook from CLIMAS.
Texas Drought to Surpass Previous Records
The state climatologist of Texas, Dr. John Nielsen-Gammon, says that if the state does not get 4.5 inches of rain by the end of September, the current drought will exceed the previous drought of record, which occurred in 1956, reports the Texas Water Resources Institute.
High Pressure Zone Brings Monsoon to Western AZ, Leaves NM Dry
The ridge of high pressure that controls the location of monsoon storms has remained east of its typical position over the Four Corners region this season, leaving eastern New Mexico dry, according to the August edition of the Southwest Monsoon Tracker.
Eastern NM, Western TX Experienced Record July Heat
July temperatures were warm in many parts of the U.S., making last month the fourth warmest July and the fourth warmest month overall, in the U.S.
Weak Start to Monsoon Prolongs Southwest Drought
Exceptional drought conditions continue across New Mexico, as rain has been sparse there since the beginning of monsoon season, according to the most recent Southwest Climate Outlook from the Climate Assessment for the Southwest.
More Particles in the Stratosphere Have Reduced Surface Warming
An increase in the amount of particles in the stratosphere since 2000 appears to have reduced surface warming from increased emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, according to new research published in Science.
Expect Frequent El Niño, La Niña Events in the Future
The last time the Earth was much warmer than today—during the Pliocene, 3.3 million to 3 million years ago—El Niño and La Niña events occurred more frequently, according to new research published in Paleooceanography.
June 2011 was the 7th warmest since 1880
Average global temperature in June 2011 was 60.94°F, 1.04°F above the average June temperature for the 20th century, reports NOAA. However, there were large regional temperature differences (see map), with pronounced w
