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June 5-11, 2011 is Rip Current Awareness Week, when NOAA’s National Weather Service reminds you to “Break the Grip of the Rip!” Rip currents are channels of fast-moving water that may pull swimmers away from the shore. While the speeds of rips currents vary, some have exceeded five miles per hour, which is faster than [...]

June 5-11 is Rip Current Awareness Week, when NOAA’s National Weather Service reminds us to “Break the Grip of the Rip!” Rip currents are strong narrow channels of water moving from the shoreline out to deeper water.  The speed of a rip current can be faster than an Olympic swimmer can swim, making swimming directly [...]

May 22-28, 2011 is Hurricane Preparedness Week.  Hurricanes come with many hazards – storm surge, high winds, heavy rains, inland flooding and even tornadoes. The official Atlantic Hurricane Season begins on June 1 and ends on November 30.  As peak season approaches, it is important to understand and prepare for hurricane hazards, even if you [...]

Millions of people head outside over Memorial Day weekend and throughout the summer. As the temperature rises, so does the risk for skin damage from the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays. More than one million cases of skin cancer are diagnosed each year in the U.S.  The good news is that skin cancer is highly curable [...]

The U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and NOAA’s National Weather Service are encouraging Americans to “Be Air Aware” this week as part of Air Quality Awareness Week.  Concentrations of air pollution tend to increase on the tail end of high pressure systems, after the center of the high passes by.  High pressure systems affect a [...]

This week (April 10-17, 2011) is National Environmental Education Week (EE Week – a sister program of Earth Gauge), the nation’s largest environmental education event held each year the week before Earth Day to inspire environmental learning and stewardship among students and the public. This year’s EE Week theme is “Ocean Connections,” highlighting that no [...]

National Public Health Week takes place from April 4-10, 2011.  This year’s theme is “Safety is NO Accident: Live Injury Free.” Safety from weather events is central to keeping people well.  A 2009 NOAA study found that floods, extreme heat and rip currents are leading causes of weather-related fatalities. Common causes of weather-related injuries are [...]

Why do you sniffle, sneeze and itch during allergy season? In some individuals, the immune system mistakes allergens – such as airborne tree, grass and weed pollens and mold – as “invaders.”  As the body reacts against these invaders, it releases substances that cause common allergy symptoms.  One nationwide survey found that nearly half of [...]

March 14-18 is the National Weather Service’s Flood Safety Awareness Week. Flooding occurs from coast to coast at all times of the year – and there are many factors that contribute to flooding events. Snowmelt Flooding: When snow begins to melt, flooding can occur if the amount of snowmelt exceeds the capacity for soils and [...]

Currently, about 25 percent of the western United States is experiencing abnormally dry or drought conditions – these conditions are concentrated in Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado. Wildfire risk can be especially high in areas where homes and buildings are located adjacent to woodlands, parks and other natural landscapes. Viewer Tip: This is a good [...]

Americans spend up to 90 percent of their time inside. During winter storms, many people warm up with gas heating equipment or fires in fireplaces and wood-burning stoves. While it is extremely important to stay warm, please remember that indoor air pollution levels can rise significantly during winter storm events, when homes are closed up [...]

Did you know that snow shoveling is a known trigger of heart attacks? Cold weather combined with physical exertion can put strain on the heart. Experts say that shoveling snow can be more strenuous than hitting a treadmill at full speed! Viewer Tip: If you head outside to clear your driveway or sidewalks, keep these [...]

Wind chill temperature measures how cold humans and animals feel when they are outdoors, based on how cold air and wind affect the rate at which heat is lost from the body. When wind increases, it reduces skin temperature and eventually your internal body temperature by drawing heat away from the body. While wind makes [...]

Burns are a common form of injury during  heavy snowfall or freezing rain events. Winter storms may break utility poles or disrupt electric lines, cutting off some households from power, heat and communication. Those unaccustomed to using candles or burning wood for heat can suffer from burns and other injuries. Wood burning and use of other [...]

January is National Radon Action Month. Radon is produced when uranium in soil, rock and water breaks down and gets into the air. It can be found anywhere in the United States and sneaks into homes and buildings through places like cracks in floors and gaps around pipes. You cannot see, smell or taste radon [...]

AAA projects that more than 92 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more during the year-end holidays – and nine out of ten will make that trip in a car. If you are hitting the road, make sure you aren’t one of the 1.4 million stranded motorists AAA expects to service during the Christmas [...]

About 15,000 emergency room visits and 500 deaths occur each year because of unintentional carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. As a matter of fact, this colorless, odorless gas is the most common cause of poisoning deaths in the U.S. CO is produced when a fuel (natural gas, propane, oil, kerosene, wood, charcoal) is burned. During cold [...]

Ah-choo! As the mercury drops outside, cold and flu season arrives. Flushing facial tissues down the toilet can waste three to seven gallons per flush with older toilet models. Eliminating just one flush per day could save nearly 1,300 gallons per year, or enough water to wash about 32 loads of laundry! Viewer Tip:  Don’t use your toilet [...]

 The distinctive smell of wood smoke is a sign of the heating season. It may smell good, but wood smoke can impact indoor air quality and your health. Smoke is a mixture of tiny particles and gases produced when wood burns – the fine particles can get into your eyes and lungs, where they may [...]

Have you been outside today? Whether it’s a visit to a neighborhood park or Yellowstone, spending time in nature provides big health benefits, especially for kids. Spending time outside increases levels of physical activity and may help reduce the prevalence of obesity. Contact with nature helps lower levels of stress in children and can mitigate [...]