Wednesday, 8 February, 2012

If scientists agree that the globe is warming, aren’t hot, dry spells more evidence of warming? Yes, but. The Texas heat wave shows how weather blends climate change and natural variation. In looking for the fingerprints of global warming, we may have to separate drought from heat.

New instruments are giving a better view of how those astonishingly strong lightning bolts form inside clouds – and we are also getting a better picture of the many ways that lightning can harm us.

Tornadoes need wet air, dry air, and wind shear. Understanding these has lead to major improvements in tornado prediction. Is climate change boosting these storms?

As Earth warms, should we try huge geoengineering projects to cool the climate? Would adding iron to fertilize ocean plants withdraw enough carbon dioxide to slow warming — or backfire?

How do hurricanes form? How do we predict their paths? How can we improve predictions?

Some call it Fall. Some call it spring. But nobody in the Midwest, East Coast or Northern Europe is calling it “winter.” What’s up with our weather?

How do volcanoes work (p. 2)? How do we predict them (p. 3)? How do they change the landscape (p. 4)? How does life return after the eruption (p. 6)?

Tornadoes kill 60 Americans each year. How do we predict tornadoes? How do we make houses safer? Where do tornadoes get their energy?

Amazon study changes picture of global carbon budget.

The Edmund Fitzgerald went down in 1975 with barely a trace, and no warning call whatsoever. New evidence pins the blame on terrible weather.