http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/earth_climate/storms/ Thunderstorms, ice storms, even dust storms -- read all the surprising new discoveries here. Will global warming bring violent storms? en-us Sat, 30 Aug 2008 06:05:01 EDT Sat, 30 Aug 2008 06:05:01 EDT 60 http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/logosmall.gif http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/earth_climate/storms/ For more science articles, visit ScienceDaily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080829104949.htm Shortly after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita hit the US, engineers studied damage done to offshore drilling platforms in the Gulf of Mexico. If tropical storm Gustav strengthens into a Category 3 hurricane, as forecasters are predicting, the damage could be extensive. Fri, 29 Aug 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080829104949.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080819082600.htm Human-driven changes in the westerly winds are bringing hotter and drier springs to the American Southwest, according to new research from the University of Arizona in Tucson. Since the 1970s the winter storm track in the western US has been shifting north, particularly in the late winter. As a result, fewer winter storms bring rain and snow to Southern California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, western Colorado and western New Mexico. Sat, 23 Aug 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080819082600.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080808114131.htm In the August update to the Atlantic hurricane season outlook, NOAA's Climate Prediction Center has increased the likelihood of an above-normal hurricane season and has raised the total number of named storms and hurricanes that may form. Forecasters attribute this adjustment to atmospheric and oceanic conditions across the Atlantic Basin that favor storm development - combined with the strong early season activity. Fri, 08 Aug 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080808114131.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080730175524.htm A new high-resolution storm surge modeling system will better be able to predict flood levels and when flooding will occur in the New York metropolitan area, information crucial to emergency managers when planning for impending storms. Sun, 03 Aug 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080730175524.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080724084745.htm A single typhoon in Taiwan buries as much carbon in the ocean -- in the form of sediment -- as all the other rains in that country all year long combined. Mon, 28 Jul 2008 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080724084745.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080715152322.htm Engineering researchers have narrowed the search for the source of X-rays emitted by lightning, a feat that could one day help predict where lightning will strike. Wed, 16 Jul 2008 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080715152322.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080709130027.htm For three years, a new way to use data collected by NOAA weather satellites has been giving North Alabama short-term warnings of "pop-up" thunderstorms. This new computer program is now spreading to other parts of the U.S. and the world. Later this summer a version of the new weather program will begin forecasting storms throughout Central America, Southern Mexico and the Dominican Republic. Fri, 11 Jul 2008 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080709130027.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080708162456.htm A new mathematical model indicates that dust devils, water spouts, tornadoes, hurricanes and cyclones are all born of the same mechanism and will intensify as climate change warms the Earth's surface. Wed, 09 Jul 2008 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080708162456.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080613135309.htm This year may set records for tornadoes and tornado-related deaths. "We have already seen more than 115 tornado-related deaths, making this the deadliest tornado season since 1998," said a meteorologist at NOAA's Storm Prediction Center. "It is only the third time since the 1974 super tornado outbreak that there have been more than 100 tornado-related deaths during a single tornado season in the U.S.," a research meteorologist at NOAA's National Severe Storms Laboratory added. Sat, 14 Jun 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080613135309.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080610092746.htm When Tropical Storm Gaston hit Richmond, Va., in August 2004, its notable abundance of small and mid-sized raindrops created torrential rains that led to unexpected flash flooding throughout the city and its suburbs. New research from NASA has concluded that tropical cyclones like Gaston produce rain differently than another class of storms called "extra-tropical" cyclones. Making a proper distinction between these systems may be a key to assisting weather forecasters in estimating rainfall intensity. Fri, 13 Jun 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080610092746.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080602231312.htm Record-keeping meteorologists at the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration say this year's tornado season is one of the deadliest in a decade and may be on pace to set a record for the most tornadoes. And flooding in the Midwest has been at 100-year levels this spring. Wed, 04 Jun 2008 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080602231312.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080524082543.htm NOAA's Climate Prediction Center has announced that projected climate conditions point to a near normal or above normal hurricane season in the Atlantic Basin this year. The prediction was issued at a news conference called to urge residents in vulnerable areas to be fully prepared for the onset of hurricane season, which begins June 1. For 2008, the outlook indicates a 60 to 70 percent chance of 12 to 16 named storms, including 6 to 9 hurricanes and 2 to 5 major hurricanes (Category 3, 4 or 5 on the Saffir-Simpson Scale). Sat, 24 May 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080524082543.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080519134306.htm A new model simulation of Atlantic hurricane activity for the last two decades of this century projects fewer hurricanes overall, but a slight increase in intensity for hurricanes that do occur. Hurricanes are also projected to have more intense rainfall, on average, in the future. Tue, 20 May 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080519134306.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080508182435.htm Three hot-air balloons dropped asphalt shingles, lumber, sticks, leaves and pine needles onto a north Alabama landfill, so scientists could gather data needed to improve tornado warnings. The payloads dropped by the balloons were similar to the types of debris thrown into the air by tornados that touch the ground. Scientists hope the Doppler radar data collected will be a first step toward programming National Weather Service Doppler radar to recognize tornado debris, so more timely and precise tornado warnings might be issued. Mon, 12 May 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080508182435.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080430152030.htm Climate scientists using computer models to simulate the 1930s Dust Bowl on the US Great Plains have found that dust raised by farmers probably amplified and spread a natural drop in rainfall, turning an ordinary drying cycle into an agricultural collapse. The researcher say the study raises concern that current pressures on farmland from population growth and climate change could worsen current food crises by leading to similar events in other regions. Sun, 04 May 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080430152030.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080428140002.htm Hurricanes and storms limit the ability of corals in Belize to "recruit" new coral into their communities, according to a new study in Marine Environmental Research. Coral reefs --- which can grow to be thousands of years old --- form and grow when free-swimming coral larvae in the ocean attach to rocks or other hard surfaces and begin to develop. Intense storms can wipe out this "recruitment" process. Tue, 29 Apr 2008 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080428140002.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080417105456.htm Data from faint earth tremors caused by wind-driven ocean waves -- often dismissed as "background noise" at seismographic stations around the world -- suggest extreme ocean storms have become more frequent over the past three decades. The International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and other prominent researchers have predicted that stronger and more frequent storms may occur as a result of global warming trends. Mon, 21 Apr 2008 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080417105456.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080416153558.htm The Earth's jet streams are shifting -- possibly in response to global warming. Scientists have determined that over a 23-year span from 1979 to 2001 the jet streams in both hemispheres have risen in altitude and shifted toward the poles. The jet stream in the northern hemisphere has also weakened. These changes fit the predictions of global warming models and have implications for the frequency and intensity of future storms, including hurricanes. Storm paths in North America are likely to shift northward as a result of the jet stream changes. Hurricanes, whose development tends to be inhibited by jet streams, may become more powerful and more frequent as the jet streams move away from the sub-tropical zones where hurricanes are born. Thu, 17 Apr 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080416153558.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080410131548.htm A new technique that helps forecasters continuously monitor landfalling hurricanes, giving them frequent and detailed images of a storm's location, will be implemented this summer. Tue, 15 Apr 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080410131548.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080410115330.htm Knowing how powerful a hurricane is, before it hits land, can help to save lives or to avoid the enormous costs of an unnecessary evacuation. So far, there's only one surefire way of measuring the strength of a hurricane: Sending airplanes to fly right through the most intense winds and into the eye of the storm, carrying out wind-speed measurements as they go. Researchers think there may be a better, cheaper way of determining how powerful a hurricane is. The technique involves listening for the storms with acoustic sensors. Thu, 10 Apr 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080410115330.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080409133718.htm The Colorado State University forecast team upgraded its early season forecast saying the U.S. Atlantic basin will likely experience a well above-average hurricane season. The team's forecast now anticipates 15 named storms forming in the Atlantic basin between June 1 and Nov. 30. Eight of the storms are predicted to become hurricanes, and of those eight, four are expected to develop into intense or major hurricanes (Saffir/Simpson category 3-4-5) with sustained winds of 111 mph or greater. Long-term averages are 9.6 named storms, 5.9 hurricanes and 2.3 intense hurricanes per year. Thu, 10 Apr 2008 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080409133718.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080328102738.htm The mechanism behind different types of lightning may now be understood, thanks to a combination of direct observation and computer modeling. Most people see lightning strikes that go from clouds to the ground, but some lightning goes upward, forming blue jets and gigantic jets. Perhaps the most dangerous lightning appears as "bolts from the blue" -- lightning that begins upward, but then moves sideways and then downward to hit the ground as much as three miles from a thunderstorm. Sun, 30 Mar 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080328102738.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080306161746.htm What are the signs of spring? They are as familiar as a blooming daffodil, a songbird at dawn, a surprising shaft of warmth from the afternoon sun. And, oh yes, don't forget the aurora borealis. Spring is aurora season. For reasons not fully understood by scientists, the weeks around the vernal equinox are prone to Northern Lights. Canadians walking their dogs after dinner, Scandinavians popping out to the sauna, Alaskan Huskies on the Iditarod trail -- all they have to do is look up and behold, green curtains of light dancing across the night sky. Spring has arrived! This is a bit of a puzzle. Auroras are caused by solar activity, but the sun doesn't know what season it is on Earth. So how could one season yield more auroras than another? Mon, 10 Mar 2008 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080306161746.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080215191428.htm Every year, storms over West Africa disturb millions of tons of dust and strong winds carry those particles into the skies over the Atlantic. According to atmospheric scientists, this dust from Africa directly affects ocean temperature, a key ingredient in Atlantic hurricane development. Wed, 20 Feb 2008 23:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080215191428.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080217215726.htm An unexpected radar image of airborne debris from the Feb. 6 tornado that killed four people in Lawrence County, Ala., might help scientists develop better tools for warning the public when and where strong tornadoes are on the ground. Scientists are studying radar data from the early morning tornado to see if the radar signature from the debris is so distinctive that computers can be programmed to instantly recognize it, so more timely and precise warnings might be issued. Wed, 20 Feb 2008 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080217215726.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080220225939.htm In Sackville, N.B. and the surrounding area, the words Saxby Gale can still inspire shivers of terror. The tropical storm struck overnight on October 5, 1869, leaving widespread destruction in its wake. Storm surges 1.8 meters tall, combined with a high tide, sent water rushing over the dykes at the Tantramar Marsh. According to the Canadian Hurricane Center, many people and farm animals drowned in the floods and hundreds of boats were beached when the waters receded. If a storm of the same magnitude were to hit today, "it would cause so much more damage," says a student planning for climate change. Wed, 20 Feb 2008 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080220225939.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080201215416.htm Rainfall data from a NASA satellite show that summertime storms in the southeastern United States shed more rainfall midweek than on weekends. Scientists say air pollution from humans is likely driving that trend. Thu, 07 Feb 2008 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080201215416.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080130130647.htm The link between changes in the temperature of the sea's surface and increases in North Atlantic hurricane activity has been quantified for the first time. The research shows that a 0.5 C increase in sea surface temperature can be associated with a ~40 per cent increase in hurricane activity. Thu, 31 Jan 2008 23:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080130130647.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080128113104.htm The next time you have to raise your umbrella against torrents of cold winter rain, you may have a remote weather phenomenon to thank that many may know by name as El Nino, but may not well understand. Thu, 31 Jan 2008 17:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080128113104.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080107143109.htm A new 11-year cycle of heightened solar activity, bringing with it increased risks for power grids, critical military, civilian and airline communications, GPS signals and even cell phones and ATM transactions, has shown signs it was on its way, when the cycle's first sunspot recently appeared in the sun's northern hemisphere. Tue, 08 Jan 2008 02:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080107143109.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071230211952.htm The year 2007 is on pace to become one of the 10 warmest years for the contiguous U.S., since national records began in 1895. The year was marked by exceptional drought in the U.S. Southeast and the West, which helped fuel another extremely active wildfire season. The year also brought outbreaks of cold air, and killer heat waves and floods. Meanwhile, the global surface temperature for 2007 is expected to be fifth warmest since records began in 1880. Mon, 31 Dec 2007 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071230211952.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071212201954.htm Natural climate variations, which tend to involve localized changes in sea surface temperature, may have a larger effect on hurricane activity than the more uniform patterns of global warming. In the debate over the effect of global warming on hurricanes, it is generally assumed that warmer oceans provide a more favorable environment for hurricane development and intensification. However, several other factors, such as atmospheric temperature and moisture, also come into play. Thu, 13 Dec 2007 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071212201954.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071211232947.htm While two new studies by researchers at the University of Colorado at Boulder's Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences predict wetter storms for the Arctic and for the Northern Hemisphere because of global warming, whether or not this means more net precipitation depends on the latitude. Thu, 13 Dec 2007 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071211232947.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071210104022.htm Researchers have found that when residents of the US southeastern states look skyward for rain to alleviate a long-term drought, they should be hoping for a tropical storm over a hurricane for more reasons than one. According to a new study using NASA satellite data, smaller tropical storms do more to alleviate droughts than hurricanes do over the course of a season by bringing greater cumulative rainfall. Tue, 11 Dec 2007 17:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071210104022.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071204121949.htm Researchers who study severe weather and climate change joined forces to study the effects of global warming on the number of severe storms in the future and discovered a dramatic increase in potential storm conditions for some parts of the US. Wed, 05 Dec 2007 05:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071204121949.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071126090229.htm Counting tropical storms that occurred before the advent of aircraft and satellites relies on ships logs and hurricane landfalls, making many believe that the numbers of historic tropical storms in the Atlantic are seriously undercounted. However, a statistical model based on the climate factors that influence Atlantic tropical storm activity shows that the estimates currently used are only slightly below modeled numbers and indicate that the numbers of tropical storms in the recent past are increasing, according to researchers. Tue, 27 Nov 2007 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071126090229.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071121144917.htm Early on the morning of Nov. 16, Cyclone Sidr hit Bangladesh and showed no mercy. The death toll continues to rise even today. Hundreds of thousands of people were left homeless. But, nearly 24 hours in advance of the storm, Hassan Mashriqui, assistant extension professor of coastal engineering with LSU, the LSU AgCenter and the Louisiana Sea Grant College Program, gave Bangladesh emergency officials storm surge maps so detailed that area agencies were able to take action, saving countless lives. Mon, 26 Nov 2007 02:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071121144917.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/09/070914170323.htm More than 60,000 miles of United States roadways are in the 100-year coastal floodplain, making them vulnerable to attacks from water surges and storm waves generated by hurricanes. A new study introduces methodology that integrates state-of-the-art models as effective tools for engineering design and hurricane emergency management. According to U.S. census data, more than 50 percent of the population lives within 50 miles of the shoreline, and that coastal population continues to grow. Fri, 21 Sep 2007 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/09/070914170323.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/09/070906162003.htm A new study supported by NASA and the US Office of Naval Research takes forecasters one step further to improving their ability to predict just how powerful an oncoming storm may become by using highly-sensitive sensors located thousands of miles from the storm to detect lightning outbreaks within a hurricane's most dangerous area. Wed, 12 Sep 2007 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/09/070906162003.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/08/070830105911.htm NASA scientists have developed a new climate model that indicates that the most violent severe storms and tornadoes may become more common as Earth's climate warms. Certain US regions can also expect an upsurge in wildfires. Fri, 31 Aug 2007 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/08/070830105911.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/08/070821171556.htm The National Hurricane Center reported that Hurricane Dean made landfall around 4:30 a.m. EDT, Tuesday, August 21, 2007 about 35 miles north of the city of Chetumal in Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. Although the spot where Dean's eye made landfall is rural, and not very populated, Dean came ashore as a Category 5 hurricane, packing maximum sustained winds of 165 mph. Wed, 22 Aug 2007 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/08/070821171556.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/08/070817145231.htm Sea surface temperatures are one of the key ingredients for tropical cyclone formation and they were warming up in the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean and eastern Atlantic Ocean by the middle of August. As a result, they helped spawn Hurricane Dean in the central Atlantic, and Tropical Storm Erin in the Gulf of Mexico, both during the week of August 13. Sat, 18 Aug 2007 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/08/070817145231.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/08/070814160541.htm The Sumatra-Andaman earthquake generated a catastrophic tsunami that caused heavy damage and fatalities in coastal areas around the Indian Ocean. The tsunami, which struck on 26 December 2004, also propagated throughout the world's oceans, making it the first such event to be scrutinized with continuous observations of widespread oceanic monitoring networks. Thu, 16 Aug 2007 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/08/070814160541.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/08/070809125956.htm Summer thunderstorms become much more fierce when they collide with a city than they would otherwise be in the open countryside, according to research led by Princeton engineers. While thunderstorms are thought of as being purely forces of nature, the new research suggests that man's built environment can radically alter a storm's life cycle. Fri, 10 Aug 2007 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/08/070809125956.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/07/070730092544.htm About twice as many Atlantic hurricanes form each year on average than a century ago, according to a new statistical analysis. The study concludes that warmer sea surface temperatures and altered wind patterns associated with global climate change are fueling much of the increase. Wed, 01 Aug 2007 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/07/070730092544.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/06/070627161739.htm A high-flying NASA mission over Costa Rica and Panama in July and August should help scientists better understand how tropical storms influence global warming and stratospheric ozone depletion. Sun, 01 Jul 2007 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/06/070627161739.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/06/070627114412.htm A University of Rhode Island oceanographer who helped develop an ocean-based hurricane forecast model that has been the most accurate hurricane prediction tool at the National Hurricane Center is completing work on an even better model that for the first time uses satellite technology to help predict a storm's path, intensity and surge. Fri, 29 Jun 2007 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/06/070627114412.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/06/070627135401.htm Lightning strikes were responsible for 47 confirmed deaths and 246 confirmed injuries last year, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and summer is the peak season for lightning-related injuries. Fri, 29 Jun 2007 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/06/070627135401.htm