Climate in the News Archive

Diseases

Extreme Weather

Ice

Oceans

Plants and Animals

Precipitation Patterns

Records

Seasonal Patterns

Other Topics

Diseases

“Climate Change Increases Cholera Cases In Africa, Study Suggests.” – Science Daily, April 27, 2009.
Researchers have discovered a correlation between pre-rainy season temperature and cholera occurrence in the southern African country of Zambia.

“Role of Climate Change in Disease Spread Examined.” Science Daily, February 9, 2009.
Researchers evaluated the relative role recent climate change has played in the spread of four arthropod-carried viruses: West Nile virus; Chikungunya virus; Rift Valley Fever virus; and Bluetongue virus.

Brown, Colin. “Farmers braced for second virus crisis.” The Independent, September 24, 2007.
The bluetongue virus, a livestock disease that has been spreading northward from Africa over the last decade, has been documented for the first time in Britain. Winds blowing across the English channel from the continent are suspected to have transmitted the disease.

“Deadly Dengue Fever Surging in Mexico.” Associated Press, March 20, 2007.
The incidence of deadly dengue fever is increasing in Mexico, with experts predicting an increase in cases throughout Latin America due to climate change, migration, and poor mosquito control.

Santana, Rebecca. “Winter No Relief for Allergy Sufferers.” The Washington Post, January 7, 2007.
Most mold spores die during cold snaps. This winter’s current lack of such cold snaps has prevented allergists and allergy sufferers from having their usual off-season.

Extreme Weather

“Earth’s ‘hum’ may reveal stormier climate” – New Scientist, May 21, 2009.
Seismic listening stations provide information about how energy reaching the world’s shores may be changing with climate.

“Fewer Days of Extreme Cold and More Days of Extreme Heat in Europe.” Science Daily, January 31, 2009.
According to data recorded at 262 European weather observatories, between 1955 and 1998 there was a decreasing trend in the number of extreme cold events and an increasing trend in extreme heat events throughout the continent.

“2008 Atlantic Hurricane Season Sets Records.” – Science Daily, November 30, 2008.
Above average North Atlantic sea surface temperatures and the lingering effects of La Niña worked together to make the 2008 Atlantic Hurricane season one of the more active seasons of the last 64 years.

Early and Intense Tornado Season Could be Record.” Science Daily, June 14, 2008
A particularly active storm track stretching from the Rockies to the East Coast has helped make this year’s tornado season the most active since 1998.

Drye, William. “Winter Tornadoes Can Be Faster, Deadlier, Experts Say.” National Geographic News, February 6, 2008.
Winter tornadoes tend to move faster than those that develop in the summer months, and this year’s La Niña may have some connection to the recent rash of tornadoes in the southeast.

Thompson, Andrea. “Study: Cities Make Storms More Fierce.” LiveScience.com, August 10, 2007.
A new study demonstrates how cities can experience more intense storms than surrounding rural areas. The heightened intensity is attributed to the urban heat island effect, tall buildings, and high concentrations of aerosols.

Rincon, Paul. “European heat waves ‘have doubled.’” BBC News, August 4, 2007.
A study published in the Journal of Geophysical Research – Atmospheres, states that European temperature records have consistently over-reported the actual temperature. Trends in extreme heat calculated using corrected data show that the frequency of extremely hot days nearly tripled during the past century while the duration of heat waves doubled.

Hecht, Jeff. “Tropical storms stepping up with climate change.” New Scientist, July 30, 2007.
A new study links rises in sea-surface temperatures to increases in tropical storm frequency in the Atlantic. Other researchers attribute increases in tropical storm numbers to better monitoring.

“China warns of floods, mudslides in west.” Reuters, June 17, 2007.
Heavy rains have arrived in China’s drought stricken west. These rains are causing floods and mudslides, however, and scientists are warning that global warming is likely to intensify extreme precipitation, thus making both droughts and floods more likely.

Ice

Climate in the News: “Greenland ice loss driven by warming seas: study.” – AFP, February 14, 2010.
Recent acceleration of ice loss from Greenland is primarily driven by warm deep water currents.

Climate in the News: “Earlier Glacial Melt Rate Revised Downward, but Recent Melt Is Accelerating Dramatically.” ScienceDaily, February 7, 2010.
Previously believed to have contributed an average of 0.17 mm per year to global sea level rise between 1962 and 2006, new satellite data suggests that Alaska’s glaciers actually contributed an average of 0.12 mm per year to global sea level rise during this period. This average includes the acceleration of 0.25 to 0.3 mm a year since the mid-1990’s.

“Keeping It Frozen: In Alaska, a low-tech solution helps the ground stay cold enough, for now.” – The Wall Street Journal, December 7, 2009.
Thawing of Alaska’s permafrost since the early-1980’s threatens the integrity of structures such as pipelines, railways, roads and buildings. This has prompted investments in thermosiphons that work to keep the ground frozen.

“Global warming fulfils icy dream” – The Scotsman, September 13, 2009.
Two German vessels are en-route to complete a first-of-its-kind journey from a Siberian port through the now-thawed Arctic waters to Rotterdam.

“Melting glaciers threaten ‘Nepal tsunami’” – AFP, August 30, 2009.
Glaciers in Nepal are melting and creating lakes that threaten to flood residents living downhill.

“New Research Provides Insight Into Ice Sheet Behavior.” – Science Daily, August 10, 2009.
Better mapping of the topography beneath the ice may help scientists better understand how the West Antarctic Ice Sheet responds to warmer temperatures.

“Ice shelf breaks up: Tenth mass to recede or float away since 1950.” – The Dominion Post, April 4, 2009.
A 40 kilometer (25 mile) strip of ice, which holds the Wilkins Ice Shelf to the Antarctic continent, snapped at its narrowest point on Saturday.

“Rubber ducks dropped into Greenland’s Jakobshavn Glacier to track ice flow.” – Palm Beach Daily News, March 21, 2009.
Alberto Behar at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California is using rubber ducks to track ice movements from the world’s fastest moving glacier.

“Arctic Saw Fastest August Sea Ice Retreat on Record, NASA Data Show.” Science Daily, September 28, 2008.
While the 2008 Arctic melt season did not break the 2007 melt record, sea ice melted faster than ever before during a four-week period in August 2008.

Lydersen, Kari. “Sea-Ice Melt Imperils Walruses, and Economy Based on Them.” The Washington Post,  August 29, 2008.
Melting sea-ice is causing walrus ranges to shift and limiting the hunting season for Alaska Natives.

“Patagonian Glacier Yields Clues For Improved Understanding of Global Climate Change.” Science Daily,  August 4, 2008.
Ice core samples from Patagonian glaciers show how global climate change affects Southern Hemisphere weather systems.

“Intensified Ice Sheet Movements Do Not Affect Rising Sea Levels.” Science Daily, July 11, 2008.
While meltwater is rapidly increasing the pace of ice sheet movement in Greenland, new research suggests that this process is not likely to be a major contributing factor to rising sea levels.

“Scientists Head to Warming Alaska on Ice Core Expedition.” Science Daily, May 1, 2008.
A team of scientists are travelling to Alaska to find the perfect “layer cake” ice core, which will hopefully provide insights on the last 2,000 years of Alaska’s climate.

“Ward Hunt Ice Shelf, Largest in Northern Hemisphere, Has Fractured into Three Main Pieces.” Science Daily, April 16, 2008.
In 2002, the Arctic’s Ward Hunt Ice Shelf cracked into two pieces, and a recent expedition has confirmed that the shelf is now in three pieces, which satellite data had indicated.

Allen-Mills, T. “Global warming scientists eagerly await first Nenana ice cracks” Times Online,March 23, 2008.
For the past 91 springs, the exact minute when the winter ice breaks on Alaska’s Tanana River has been recorded.

Calamai, P. “Vanished “bridge” jolts ice pack sleuths.” The Toronto Star, March 17, 2008.
Attempts to study the Arctic are being impaired by the rapid melting of the region’s ice cover.

Leifert, Harvey. “Southern Snowmelt.” Nature Reports Climate Change, October 11, 2007.
In Antarctica, snow is melting at higher elevations and farther from the ocean than at any other point on record.

Joling, Dan. “Walruses Abandon Sea Ice for Alaska Shore.” USA Today, October 4, 2007.
The loss of their usual sea ice habitat is forcing unprecedented numbers of walruses to seek shelter on the shores of Alaska and Russia.

“Warming ‘opens Northwest Passage.’” BBC News, September 14, 2007.
A faster than predicted retreat of the Arctic sea ice means that it is now possible during the boreal summer to sail between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans through areas that have previously been clogged with sea ice.

Boswell, Randy. “25 years of Arctic ice left.” Vancouver Sun, August 18, 2007.
The Arctic sea ice cover is at its smallest extent ever recorded, and the melting is expected to continue to accelerate.

Wynn, Gerard. “Climate change threatens Latam water supply.” Reuters, July 20, 2007.
Climate change is altering precipitation regimes and melting glaciers in the Andes region, and mountain lakes and wetlands are drying-up as a result. This trend is threatening the region’s water security.

Phuyal, Surendra. “Mountaineers’ fear of global warming.” BBC News, May 21, 2007.
Rising temperatures in Nepal are changing snowfall patterns and making glaciers less stable. This trend is making mountaineering more dangerous and creating more glacial meltwater lakes.

Oceans

“Climate Change and Coral Reefs: Coral Species Has Developed the ‘Skills’ to Cope With Rising Temperatures” – Science Daily, February 27, 2010.
Researchers are studying how ocean species are responding to climate change to improve plans for marine reserves.

“Long Term Cooling Trend in the Arctic Abruptly Reverses, Signaling Potential for Sea Rise” – ScienceDaily, September 4, 2009.
New research indicates warming is occuring in the Arctic, despite the region receiving less energy from the sun over the past 8,000 years. The period from 1999 to 2008 was the warmest in the Arctic in 2,000 years.

“Coral Bleaching Likely in Caribbean” – Science Daily, July 27, 2009.
High Caribbean sea-surface temperatures, which are favorable for coral bleaching events, are likely to continue through October.

“Oysters in deep trouble: Is Pacific Ocean’s chemistry killing sea life?” – The Seattle Times, June 14, 2009.
Changes in ocean conditions off the Pacific Northwest coast have been linked to declines in oyster reproductive success.

“Elevated Water Temperature And Acidity Boost Growth of Key Sea Star Species” – ScienceDaily, June 5, 2009.
A species of sea star, common on the Pacific Coast of North America, has been shown to respond favorably to elevated temperatures and higher carbon dioxide concentrations.

“Unique Survey Of Ocean Climate May Improve Climate Predictions.” – Science Daily, May 11, 2009.
A new analysis of data records extending back to the 1950s suggests that year-to-year variability in the Norwegian Sea can be traced to changes in the behavior of the Gulf Stream.

“The Agulhas Current, In the Southern Hemisphere, May Influence Climate in Europe.” Science Daily, 16 March 2009.
Recent evidence suggests that the strength of the current running from the Indian Ocean to the southern tip of Africa influences the circulation in the Atlantic Ocean.

“Climate change delaying gray whale vacations, scientists say.” Santa Cruz Sentinel, February 13, 2009.
On their annual journey from the Arctic to Baja, gray whales are passing through Monterey Bay about a week later than they did 20 years ago.

“Decline Of Plankton That Gobble Carbon Dioxide Coincided With Ancient Global Cooling.” Science Daily, January 12, 2009.
New research on the evolution of diatoms, which form the base of marine food webs, shows that their numbers declined markedly during a period of global cooling, as opposed to rising along with the development of grassland ecosystems 18 million years ago.

“Sea Rise Over Continental Shelves Significantly Affected Past Global Carbon Cycle.” – Science Daily, January 5, 2009.
The rise in sea level since the last glacial maximum has corresponded to changes in the behavior of the “continental shelf pump” that moves carbon from the shelves to the ocean depths.

“Scientist Uses Tracer to Predict Ancient Ocean Circulation.” Science Daily, October 24, 2008.
Chemical tracers in samples of fish fossils help scientists understand ocean circulation in a carbon rich ancient climate.

“Antarctic Climate: Short-term Spikes, Long-term Warming Linked To Tropical Pacific.” ScienceDaily,  August 15, 2008.
Recent analyses of ice core samples reveal connections between weather conditions in the tropcial Pacific Ocean and West Antarctica.

“Climate Change Brings Jellyfish Plague to Europe’s Beaches.” Deutsche Welle, July 5, 2008.
Warming waters combined with the overfishing of jellyfish predators have resulted in significant increases in jellyfish populations along Europe’s coastlines.

“Fish Fade Away, Crabs Take Over.” LiveScience, June 27, 2008.
A warming of Narragansett Bay over the last fifty years has corresponded to changes in the structure of the bay’s ecosystem.

Milstein, Michael. “Researchers scramble to deal with dying oysters.” OregonLive, June 9 2008.
Changing ocean conditions off the Pacific Northwest coast have led to a population explosion of Vibrio tubiashii, a bacteria that in large enough concentrations is fatal to oysters and other shellfish.

“Scientists Reveal Presence of Ocean Current ‘Stripes.’” Science Daily, April 26, 2008.
Several decades of data appear to confirm the existence of subtle crisscrossing patterns of ocean currents, or striations, that run perpendicular to major ocean currents.

“Coral Reefs and Climate Change: Microbes Could be the Key to Coral Death.” Science Daily, April 5, 2008.
Changes in ocean temperatures have altered the composition of the bacterial communities that are integral parts of coral reef ecosystems.

“Invasion of the giant oysters.” The Independent, March 8, 2008.
A string of mild winters and a general trend of warming waters have enabled the Pacific Oyster to escape from oyster farms and dominate the floor of the North Sea.

“Study: Sea’s Thermostat Protects Reefs.” MSNBC, February 14, 2008.
While 40 percent of the world’s coral reefs have been hit by bleaching since 1980, a negative feedback cycle seems to prevent already warm ocean waters from exceeding a certain temperature threshold.

Ryall, Julian. “Crustacean ‘Swarm’ Destroying Small Hiroshima Island.” National Geographic News, January 3, 2008.
A warming of the waters around the uninhabited Japanese Island of Hoboro has led to an explosion of plankton and a species of crustacean that feeds on them. The crustacean population is promoting high rates of erosion on the island.

Weiss, Kenneth R. “A Giant of the Sea Finds Slimmer Pickings.” LA Times, July 6, 2007.
Scientists from Mexico to the Pacific Northwest are noticing higher numbers of thin gray whales this year, possibly due to warming Arctic waters where the whales typically feed.

“Changing Ocean Conditions Led to Decline in Alaska’s Sea Lion Population.” Science Daily, March 25, 2007.
A naturally occurring climatic cycle may be responsible for the recent decline in Alaska’s Steller Sea Lion population.

Hopkin, Michael. “Sea levels ‘rising faster than predicted.” Nature News, February 1, 2007.
The 2001 IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) Report predicted average annual sea level rises of 2 mm. Satellite data, however, shows that since 1990, this rate has been closer to 3.3 mm per year. Some have expressed skepticism that 16 years of data is enough time to accurately assess this trend.

Doyle, Alister. “Indian Ocean Shift Seen Stoking Indonesia Droughts.” Reuters, January 18, 2007.
A shift in the temperature of the Indian Ocean has been linked to stronger Asiatic monsoons. New evidence indicates that this temperature shift also may be linked to the current droughts in Indonesia and Australia.

Bornstein, Seth. “Warmed-Up Oceans Reduce Key Food Link.” Washington Post, December 6, 2006.
NASA satellite data, which has been compiled over the past nine years, shows that less phytoplankton are produced in warmer oceans than cooler ones. This trend is particularly troublesome as phytoplankton are the base of marine ecosystems and ocean waters are 0.6°C warmer today than they were at the beginning of the 20th century.

Plants and Animals

“Drastic Musk Ox Population Decline 12,000 Years Ago Due to Climate, Not Humans, Study Finds” – Science Daily, March 9, 2010.
Analysis of ancient musk ox DNA suggests that the decline of the species was primarily due to rapid environmental changes at the end of the Pleistocene.

Climate in the News: “Less fog may threaten coastal redwoods, experts say.” – Santa Cruz Sentinel, February 22, 2010.
Foggy summer days along the northern California coast were less common in the second half of the 20th century than the first – a trend that may be affecting the region’s iconic redwoods.

“Connecticut scientist leads the way in freezing coral to give it life later.” – The Day: Connecticut, December 14, 2009.
Mary Hagedorn, a senior scientist at the Smithsonian Institution, is leading efforts to cryogenically preserve corals, which are threatened by rising ocean temperatures and acidity levels.

“New Fossil Plant Discovery Links Patagonia to New Guinea in a Warmer Past” – ScienceDaily, November 30, 2009.
Recent fossil discoveries in Patagonia suggest that the area was warm and wet between 47 and 52 million years ago.

“Scientists investigate phenomenon of ‘winter bees.’” – Telegraph U.K., November 7, 2009.
Sightings of active bumblebees during the winter months are becoming increasingly common in Britain.

“Sierra Nevada Birds Move in Reponse to Warmer, Wetter Climate” – ScienceDaily, October 4, 2009.
The vast majority of bird species in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains have responsed to the last century’s climate change by adjusting their ranges.

“Woody Plants Adapted To Past Climate Change More Slowly Than Herbs” – ScienceDaily, September 27, 2009.
Paleorecords from the last 100 million years show that herbs are better able to keep pace with climate shifts than woody plants.

“Wheat gets worse as CO2 rises” – NewScientist, August 17, 2009.
Atmospheric carbon dioxide fluctuations affect grain size, protein levels and trace element concentrations in wheat crops.

“Large Trees Declining in Yosemite National Park, U.S.” – Science Daily, August 3, 2009.
Warmer temperatures, longer dry seasons and decreased snowpack are likely contributors to the decline of large-diameter trees that has been occurring in Yosemite National Park since the 1930’s.

“Fish ’shrinking due to global warming’” – Agence France Press, July 20, 2009.
Temperature rises in Europe’s marine and freshwater environments over the last 20-30 years have been cited as contributing to the decline in average fish size that occurred during the same period.

“Climate Change May Spell Demise Of Key Salt Marsh Constituent” – ScienceDaily, July 13, 2009.
Salt marshes along the northeast coast of the the U.S. are losing much of the forb cover that feeds migratory waterfowl.

“New Crops Needed For New Climate” – ScienceDaily, June 29, 2009.
Experimental evidence suggests that higher levels of carbon dioxide and drought conditions cause plants to produce more toxins and less protein.

“Climate Change Hurting Hares: White Snowshoe Hares Can’t Hide On Brown Earth.” Science Daily, March 6, 2009.
In the west, a decline in the average annual number of days when there is snow on the ground is making life more precarious for snowshoe hares, which most forest carnivores are at least partially dependent upon for food.

Leahy, Stephen. “Biodiversity: So Long, Salamanders.” – IPS News, February 21, 2009.
Climate change is one of the likely factors behind the severe amphibian population declines observed in Central America over the last 30 years.

Blake, Laurie. “Birds warm up to north.” – Minneapolis Star Tribune, November 17, 2008.
The last 40 years of results from the Audubon Society-sponsored Christmas Bird Count reveal a northward range shift for the majority of America’s bird species.

“Explosion In Marine Biodiversity Explained By Climate Change.”- Science Daily, July 28, 2008.
The first appearance of complex living organisms occurred during a period when Earth’s oceans were cooling.

“Brown Argus Butterfly Sees Positive Effects of Climate Change.” Science Daily, June 2, 2008.
Over the last 30 years, there has been a northward range expansion of Britain’s Brown Argus butterfly. This move has helped the species escape its traditional parasites.

Fleming, Nic. “Alien Parasite Fear for UK Butterfly.” UK Telegraph, March 29, 2008.
A northward range expansion of a fly is believed to be at least partially responsible for the decline of UK’s Tortoiseshell Butterfly.

Bouma, Katherine. “More migratory birds flocking to northern Alabama.” The Birmingham News, March 3, 2008.
Northern Alabama’s winter bird populations are changing. This change includes and influx of birds that have traditionally wintered in Florida and the Gulf Coast.

“Drought Length Influences Survival of Fish in Stream Ponds.” Science Daily, January 18, 2008.
Researchers from the University of Arkansas found that diversity of fish species in stream ponds varied from year to year, depending on water depth, volume, and other factors.

Johnson, Andrew. “Where have all the birds gone?” The Independent, January 29, 2007.
For almost 30 years, Great Britain’s Royal Society for the Protection of Birds has led the annual Big Garden Birdwatch. This year’s results suggest that there has been a shift in seasonal bird behavior.

“Mountain Summits In the Alps Becoming Increasingly Similar.” TerraDaily, December 3, 2007.
An “upward” shift in the distribution of Europe’s flora has resulted in increased species diversity in individual areas but decreased diversity across ecosystems.

“Top five of the UK species affected by climate change.” icwales, November 10, 2007.
The United Kingdom’s marine ecosystems are changing along with the climate. Five examples are highlighted in this article.

Lyall. Sarah. “Warming Revives Flora and Fauna of Greenland.” New York Times, October 28, 2007.
Life is becoming more lucrative for Greenland’s human population as warming temperatures are stimulating crop production and causing influxes of animal species.

Schmid, Randolph E. “Rising Temperatures Said Endanger Arctic.” San Francisco Gate, October 17, 2007.
A temperature rise is permeating the Arctic. This rise is affecting Caribou, vegetation, and water fowl.

O’Connor, Kevin. “Global swarming: Is climate change bringing the state more bugs?” Times Argus, August 27, 2007.
Growing numbers of ticks, mosquitoes, and hemlock woolly adelgids are being documented in Vermont. Warmer temperatures, especially during winter, are likely contributing to this trend.

Loeterman, Dan. “Insects Spreading to More Hemlocks.” Metrowest Daily News, July 14, 2007
A recent string of warm winters in New England has allowed the invasive hemlock woolly adelgid to thrive throughout the region.

“Scientists discuss warming’s effect on boreal forests.” Anchorage Daily News, June 1, 2007.
Recent changes in the world’s boreal forests have been observed in recent years, particularly in Alaska. Researchers are worried that plants and animals may not be able to adapt to these rapid changes.

Clarke Jeremy. “Kenyans Plant Trees to Coax Back Flamingos.” Reuters, April 23, 2007.
After populations of the famous flamingos at Kenya’s Lake Nakuru declined due to deforestation, climate change, and pollution, communities are planting saplings around the lake to bring the birds back.

“Fewer Leaves Behind Frog Demise.” BBC News, April 17, 2007.
Changes in Costa Rica’s weather have resulted in a reduction in the amount of leaf litter present on the forest floor. A new report by the National Academy of Sciences says that this could be responsible for the region’s decline in frog numbers.

“Wolves, Moose Struggling on Isle Royal National Park, USA.” Science Daily, March 12, 2007.
Moose populations in Isle Royal National Park are at their lowest level in 50 years, with warm summers, tick populations, and pressure from wolves contributing to the problem.

Zabarenko, Deborah. “Exotic animals seen where Antarctic ice used to be.” Planet Ark, February 16, 2007.
Exotic creatures and new species have been found off the coast of the Antarctic, in an area formerly covered by ice.

Precipitation Patterns

“India’s Wettest Place ‘Lacks Water’” – BBC, December 20, 2009.
Average annual rainfall in Cherrapunji, a tourist attraction in the cloud forests, has been declining at a rate of 20 percent per year despite limited deforestation.

“Great Lakes water levels see increase.” The Times Herald,  August 7, 2008.
Great Lakes water levels are up from previous years but still below average for August.

Bowe, Christopher. “Finger pointed at La Niña in search for clues.” Financial Times, February 2, 2008.
The recent snowstorms and heavy rains in China, which have slowed the Nation’s transportation network, are being linked to La Niña.

“Smaller Storms Drop Larger Overall Rainfall In Hurricane Season.” Terra Daily, December 10, 2007.
A study of rainfall trends in the drought-stricken southeastern U.S. show that the most extreme rainfall days occur in September and October, and that a series of smaller tropical storms and depressions brings more cumulative rainfall to the region than the more powerful but shorter lived hurricane.

Wahlquist, Asa. “Hot spring ices hopes for a cereal crop.” The Australian, October 31, 2007
Old rules of thumb for Australia’s grain farmers are no longer relevant as back to back drought years are crippling the industry.

Lam, Tina and Schmitt, Ben. “Superior free fall struck so fast: No end in sight, drought blamed.” The Detroit Free Press, August 29, 2007.
Increased evaporation due to higher temperatures combined with drought conditions in Lake Superior’s watershed are pushing water levels towards record lows.

“NASA Detects Trends in Rainfall Traits from Drizzles to Downpours.” TerraDaily, March 5, 2007.
NASA scientists find new ways to measure changes in rainfall patterns.

Records

“March 2009 Tenth Warmest On Record For Global Temperatures.” – Science Daily, April 20, 2009.
This March was the 10th warmest globally since relevant record keeping began in 1880. Significant regional differences in temperature and snow/ice cover were observed.

“Spring rainfall at record low levels” – The Australian, November 1, 2008.
Southeastern Australia continues to experience drought conditions as the frontal systems that typically bring rainfall to the region are travelling further to the south.

“Global Surface Temperature was Second Warmest for September” – ScienceDaily, October 18, 2009.
According to NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center, combined global land and ocean surface temperature for September was the second warmest on record, behind 2005.

“Arctic autumn temperature hits record high” – Terra Daily, October 17, 2008.
NOAA’s Arctic Report Card says that 2008 Arctic autumn atmospheric temperatures reached a record 5 degrees Celsius (9 degrees Fahrenheit) above average.

Medred, Craig. “Summer has been one of Alaska’s coldest.” Anchorage Daily News,  September 7, 2008.
Due to prolonged and extensive cloud cover over Alaska, this summer featured the coolest average high temperatures since the early 1970’s.

“NOAA: Eighth Warmest June on Record for Globe.” Science Daily, July 21. 2008.
The combined ocean and land surface temperature in June was 0.9 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than the 20th century average. It was also the wettest June on record in parts of southern China, including Hong Kong.

“Global Land Temperature Warmest on Record In March 2008.” Science Daily, April 19, 2008.
March of 2008 featured the planet’s warmest average March land temperature on record and the 13th warmest average March ocean surface temperature. U.S. temperatures were around average.

Antczak, John. “L.A. Set to Log Driest Year in More Than a Century.” The Washington Post, June 30, 2007.
The last 12 months has been the driest that the Los Angeles area has seen in over 130 years. The recent behavior of the jet stream has helped to keep rain out of Southern California while simultaneously bringing near record amounts of rain to Texas.

Clarke, Jeremy. “Overheating Britain: April Temperatures Break All Records.” The Independent, April 28, 2007.
With record-breaking April temperatures, Britain may experience record summer temperatures as well.

Bornstein, Seth. “Record for Hottest January Isn’t Broken….It’s Smashed.” Seattle Times, February 16, 2007.
This past January was the hottest on record. It broke the previous record by .81° Fahrenheit.

“Tokyo Sets Snowless Record.” TerraDaily, February 11, 2007.
This winter has featured the longest snowless stretch in Tokyo’s recorded meteorological history. According to meteorologists in Japan, Tokyo has never had a winter without snow.

“2006 Poised to be the Third Warmest Year on Record.” USA Today, December 14, 2006.
Officials at NOAA reported that 2006 is on track to be the third warmest year on record in the contiguous United States. NOAA began keeping temperature records in 1895. The ten warmest years in this data series have occurred since 1995.

Seasonal Patterns

“‘Citizen scientists’ record warming data.” USA Today, April 7, 2008.
All across the Nation, citizens are observing budbursts and sending data to scientists in order to build a better understanding of changes in plant life-cycles.

Hill, Michael. “Study: Northeast winters warming fast.” ABC News, January 13, 2008.
A new study reinforces numerous observations that winters in the Northeast have become warmer and less snowy.

Brown, Susan. “Polar bears dying in years of early ice melt.” Nature News, November 23, 2007.
The oldest and youngest members of Polar Bear populations experience higher mortality rates during years when the Arctic ice melts earlier than average.

Warm Spring ‘Affecting Wildlife.’” BBC News, May 25, 2007.
The 2007 Springwatch event, a wildlife observation program run by BBC and the Woodland Trust, has witnessed butterflies, frogspawn, and other wildlife are showing up earlier than expected.

McCarthy, Michael. “Chelsea Flower Show growers hit by climate change as warm spring accelerates growth.” The Independent, May 12, 2007.
April’s record warmth has prompted flowers in Britain to bloom much earlier than usual, a phenomenon that has forced gardeners at Chelsea’s Flower Show to adapt both to this early bloom and to unusually large insect populations.

Other Topics

“Snowball Earth: New Evidence Hints at Global Glaciation 716.5 Million Years Ago” – Science Daily, March 5, 2010.
New evidence suggests there was a five million year long period – approximately 716.5 million years ago – when ice extended from the poles all the way to the equator.

Climate in the News: “Stratospheric Water Vapor is Global Warming Wild Card.” ScienceDaily, February 1, 2009.
Decadal variability in stratospheric water vapor content has had a noticeable effect on the rates of surface temperature changes over the last 30 years.

Climate in the News: “Cave Reveals Southwest’s Abrupt Climate Swings During Ice Age.” ScienceDaily, January 25, 2009.
Stalagmite samples from the Southwest demonstrate periodic changes in Ice Age rainfall regimes that correspond to simultaneous climate changes  demonstrated by proxy records from Greenland.

“Cave Study Links Climate Change to California Droughts.’” – Science Daily, November 15, 2009.
An analysis of cave deposits suggests that periods of drought in California correspond to thawing of Arctic sea ice.

“European satellite launched to explore climate change.” – Telegraph U.K., November 2, 2009.
The European Space Agency recently launched a satellite which will help to improve the monitoring of soil moisture and ocean salinity changes.

“Arctic Sediments Show that 20th Century Warming is Unlike Natural Variation” – ScienceDaily, October 25, 2009.
Sediments retrieved from a remote Arctic Lake that reveal information about the climate over the past 200,000 years show that warming during the 20th Century is unlike past warming episodes.

“Nitrogen Cycle: Key Ingredient In Climate Model Refines Global Predictions” – ScienceDaily, October 11, 2009.
Attempts to refine climate models with better representations of the nitrogen cycle have recently been successful.

“NASA’s ‘A-Train’ Of Satellites On Track With Hurricane Research” – Science Daily, August 24, 2009.
A constellation of five satellites that orbit in close succession is being used to better understand cloud properties and cyclones in the tropics.

“Ancient Drought and Rapid Cooling Drastically Altered Climate” – ScienceDaily, July 6, 2009.
Glacial core samples are being used to evaluate two distinct periods of rapid climate change, which happened 700 and 4500 years ago.

“Meteoroid Bombardment May Have Made Earth More Habitable, Says Study” – ScienceDaily, June 1, 2009.
A 20 million-year-long period of frequent meteoroid impacts around four billion years ago may have played an important role in making Earth habitable.

“Airborne Dust and Microbial Matter May Play Large Role in Ice Formation in Clouds.” Science Daily, 17 May 2009.
Recent cloud sampling missions demonstrate the importance of both mineral dust and biological particles for cloud formation and rainfall.

“Dust May Settle Unanswered Questions on Antarctica.” – Science Daily, March 29, 2009.
Analysis of Patagonian dust stored in Antarctic ice may be useful for improving our understanding of the past ice age.

“Cosmic Rays Detected Deep Underground Reveal Secrets Of Upper Atmosphere.” – Science Daily, January 24, 2009.
Underground equipment that detects high-energy cosmic-rays has been used to detect severe and sudden stratospheric weather events, which is useful for improving climate and weather prediction models.

“Why Atmospheric Pressure Peaks At 10am And 10pm In The Tropics.” Science Daily, December 14, 2008.
Recent findings support the “solar tides” theory as an explanation for the observed semi-daily peaks in tropical atmospheric pressure.

“Decline Of Roman And Byzantine Empires 1,400 Years Ago May Have Been Driven By Climate Change.”  Science Daily, December 6, 2008.
A drying trend in the Mediterranean region from 100 to 700 A.D. may have contributed to the decline of the the Roman and Byzantine empires.

“Sedimentary Records Link Himalayan Erosion Rates And Monsoon Intensity Through Time” – Science Daily, November 9, 2008.
Researchers are studying ocean sediment cores to better understand the dynamics of Asian monsoon climates and the building of the Himalayas.

Schiermeier, Quirin – ”Africa’s climate tied to northern hemisphere.” Nature News, September 12, 2008.
Paleoclimatological evidence shows that major cooling episodes in the North Atlantic coincide with drought in Southeast Africa.

“New Clues To Air Circulation in the Atmosphere.” ScienceDaily,  August 22, 2008.
A new study suggests that Earth has four major atmospheric circulation cells. Most older theories recognized only two.

“El Niño May Have Been Factor in Magellan’s Pacific Voyage.” Science Daily, May 16, 2008.
Magellan’s 16th century journey around the world coincided with an El Niño event, which helped his passage through the Pacific.

Lövgren, Stefan. “Climate Change Driving Mongolians from Steppes to Cities.” National Geographic News, February 21, 2008.
The last few decades of rising temperatures in Mongolia have been linked to increased rates of evapotranspiration, more severe winter storms, and heavier but less frequent rains, trends which are making life harder for the nation’s herders.

Jensen, Adam. “Tahoe rapidly warming: Lecture looks at climate change.” Nevada County Local News, June 9, 2007.
Lake Tahoe is warming at a rate faster than the world’s oceans. This warming is likely to change the composition of the lake’s living communities, and possibly impair its water’s famous visibility.