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.

Poetry and Pictures - Weather

Paintings by French artist Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1841-1919) are often like snapshots of real life. In this painting of Le Pont des Arts in Paris, France there appears to be two cloud types in the sky: mid-level altocumulus clouds and lower stratocumulus clouds with an elongate shape.
Corel

March

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. But just what words?

We'd like to invite you to submit your own poem about this month's featured Weather image. Be as creative and expressive as you can! And check back next month to write another wonderful poem about a weather image.

Weathery Sky
by Nicole, age 14, Pennsylvania

The bright light
Touches down on the oceans sky.
Through it brings light
In the sky it will die.

Stratocumulus hides in the sky
Low and bright in the light.
Shining down on the town
Brings a shape elongate.

Right above you see altocumulus
May be the cause for a little humorous
Shining down you see a cloud
Bringing shadows shining proud.

The weather is a shimmering cool
It seems that way at least.
Boats are out swimming about
But the wind may be a beast.

So all in all its doing good
The weather outside is fine.
The day is going on and on
Until the sun is done.

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