Current Events

  • Atmospheric CO2 Level Tops 400 ppm
    During the week of May 13th, the CO2 level at the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii topped 400 ppm rep...Read more

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    Atmospheric CO2 Level Tops 400 ppm

    During the week of May 13th, the CO2 level at the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii topped 400 ppm repeatedly. Daily levels of CO2 can vary due to weather, and there are seasonal trends as well. The level of atmospheric greenhouse gases continues to increase, now over 120 ppm since the Industrial Revolution began. For more on the Keeling Curve, see http://keelingcurve.ucsd.edu/. Find out more about greenhouse gases and warming.
  • Massive Tornado Outbreak on Tornado Alley
    The week of May 19 brings dozens of tornadoes to Tornado Alley in the states of Oklahoma, Kansas, Io...Read more

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    Massive Tornado Outbreak on Tornado Alley

    The week of May 19 brings dozens of tornadoes to Tornado Alley in the states of Oklahoma, Kansas, Iowa, Illinois and Missouri. On May 20th, a massive tornado struck Moore, Oklahoma, devastating communities - destroying over 100 homes and hitting two elementary schools and a hospital - with many casualties and deaths. Our thoughts are with our friends and colleagues suffering from these storms. For more on the May 20th storms, see the NOAA Storm Prediction Center Storm Report.
  • Kansas Legislator Proposes Bill to Outlaw Sustainability Education
    A bill has been introduced in the Kansas legislature this week that would prohibit the promotion of ...Read more

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    Kansas Legislator Proposes Bill to Outlaw Sustainability Education

    A bill has been introduced in the Kansas legislature this week that would prohibit the promotion of sustainability. Here is a link to the one-page bill: http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2013_14/measures/documents/hb2366_00_0000.pdf. See report on Bloomberg News.
This image was taken after the 1993 Storm of the Century in Asheville, NC.
Click on image for full size
National Weather Service Forecast Office of Greenville-Spartanburg, NC

History of Large Blizzards of North America

Below is a list of large blizzards in the United States and Canada.

March 11-14, 1888
- Up to 50 inches of snow fell and winds blew up to 60 mph (96.5 kph) in parts of the Mid-Atlantic and New England during this blizzard.

April of 1967
- 5.8 feet (1.75 meters) of snow fell on southern Alberta, Canada

January 10-11, 1975
- This blizzard caused fast winds blowing at 90 mph (145 kph) in Iowa, chilly temperatures in North and South Dakota, and lots of snow!

January 26-27, 1978
- This blizzard struck the Midwest and Northeast United States with cold temperatures, fast winds, and as much as 38 inches of snow.

February 8, 1979
- Iqaluit, Canada was isolated for ten days from this blizzard.
- Temperatures of -40 ºF (-40ºC) were recorded

March 12-15, 1993
- This blizzard was called the “Storm of the Century.”
- The storm spread from Florida to Canada.
- 56 inches (1.4 meters) of snow fell on Tennessee!

January 6-8, 1996
- This blizzard produced more than 24 inches (0.6 meters) of snow from West Virginia to New York City and in southern New England.

January 20-24, 2005
- This storm spread from the Midwest to southern New England.
- The snow fell quickly in Boston. Three to five inches (0.08-0.13 meters) of snow fell each hour at times during the storm.

Last modified July 15, 2008 by Vanessa Pearce.

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