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Solar Flares
February 5, 2012 | Earth Observatory

Following one of the longest and weakest periods of activity in many cycles, the Sun is brimming with activity again. In late January 2012, our nearest star offered a preview of what may be to come in the solar maximum of 2012–13.

2011: A Year of Climate Extremes
February 2, 2012 | NOAA

“According to NOAA scientists, 2011 was a record-breaking year for climate extremes, as much of the United States faced historic levels of heat, precipitation, flooding and severe weather, while La Niña events at both ends of the year impacted weather patterns at home and around the world.” Quoted from the NOAA press release.

Lego Astronaut
January 30, 2012 | Christian Science Monitor

Two Canadian teenagers launched a weather balloon with a Lego Man passenger that reached an elevation of 85,000 feet and captured a video of the trip.

Solar Activity Causing Spectacular Aurora Displays
January 30, 2012 | Associated Press Video

High latitude areas around the Earth are seeing spectacular aurora displays in response to an intense solar storm that occurred last week. These displays are expected to be very frequent over the next two years as the sun goes through a period of frequent activity.

Monday’s Solar Storm Explained
January 24, 2012 | MSNBC

Derrick Pitts, Chief Astronomer at the Franklin Institute explains the recent “medium class” solar storm and how it might compare storms that will occur in 2013 when a solar maximum occurs.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Delta Reroutes Flights to Avoid Solar Storm Problems
January 24, 2012 | USA Today

Delta Air Lines rerouted some of the “over the Pole” flights today in a move to avoid potential problems caused by the recent solar storm.

ESA: Arctic Fresh Water Dome Could Spill into the Atlantic
January 23, 2012 | European Space Agency

“ESA satellites show that a large dome of fresh water has been building up in the Arctic Ocean over the last 15 years. A change in wind direction could cause the water to spill into the north Atlantic, cooling Europe.” Quote from the ESA website.

Understanding Severe Winter Forecasts
January 17, 2012 | NOAA

“This winter, understanding the differences behind National Weather Service’s advisories, watches and warnings could save your life or someone you love by knowing the appropriate action to take.” Quoted from the NOAA article.


Image by NOAA

Torrential Rain in Brazil
January 9, 2012 | NASA Earth Observatory

“Torrential rain inundated southeastern Brazil in early January 2012, causing severe damage in multiple states. The floods forced thousands from their homes, damaged roads and homes, and broke through a levee in northern Rio de Janeiro State.” Quoted from the Earth Observatory image release.

Earth Observatory has a rainfall contour map and satellite image.

Tropical Storm Washi Kills Hundreds in the Philippines
December 18, 2011 | CNN

At least 447 people have been killed in the Philippines by Tropical Storm Washi. Most of the people killed were surprised by flash flooding.

Landslides Plague Highway Construction in Oregon
December 1, 2011 | Oregon Live

Building a highway across ancient landslides with 30+ degree slopes in an area that gets 100 inches of rain per year can lead to problems.

Low Groundwater Storage in Texas
November 30, 2011 | NASA

New groundwater and soil moisture drought indicator maps produced using data from NASA’s Grace satellite show unusually low groundwater storage levels in Texas.

Santa Ana Wind Event
November 30, 2011 | USA Today

The National Weather Service expects strong Santa Ana winds to produce gusts of 80 miles per hour or higher in southern California on Thursday and Friday.

Powerful Storm in the Bering Sea
November 9, 2011 | Associated Press @ Google

A powerful storm moving across the Bering Sea has brought 80 mph winds to the western Alaska coastline and is expected to cause storm surges of over ten feet.

Iceland Spar as a Navigational Aid for Vikings?
November 4, 2011 | Proceedings of the Royal Society

An article in the Proceedings of the Royal Society speculates that Vikings might have used Iceland spar (clear calcite) to detect the position of the sun while sailing in thick fog.

NOAA’s Severe Weather Satellite
October 31, 2011 | NOAA

A new satellite to monitor the atmosphere for conditions that could lead to severe weather has been launched. NOAA’s NPOESS Preparatory Project (NPP) satellite will begin transmitting data in about 90 days with the goal of replacing data from the NOAA-19 satellite.

Giant Haboob Hits Lubbock, Texas
October 18, 2011 | LA Times

A red haboob over 8000 feet tall swept through the city of Lubbock, Texas, turning daylight into a red darkness.

The Milky Way, Northern Lights and a Meteor Streak!
October 13, 2011 | MSN.com

Photographer, Tommy Eliassen, captured a photo that contains the Milky Way, the Northern Lights and a meteor streak. You can see it on MSN.com

Severe Drought Impact Upon Pacific Islands
October 11, 2011 | United Nations

“The critical low levels of freshwater in Tuvalu and Tokelau are just further wake-up calls about the vulnerability of SIDS [small island developing States] to the threats posed by increasing demands on natural resources…” Quoted from the United Nations press release.

Typhoons Nalgae and Nesat over Luzon, Philippines
October 4, 2011 | NASA Earth Observatory

“In a matter of five days, the Philippines and southeastern Asia were hammered by two intense tropical storms in late September and early October 2011. Several months worth of rain fell within a week—a deluge even by tropical standards—on Luzon in the northern Philippines, as well as in northern Vietnam and the Chinese island of Hainan.” Quoted from the NASA image release.

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