These powerful ‘rivers in the sky’ provide a huge share of annual precipitation in many regions, including California. They can also melt sea ice, with global climate implications.
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Articles on Atmospheric science
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Milton’s fast spin-up in the Gulf of Mexico was one of the most rapid intensifications on record. Two scientists who study hurricanes explain why this happens and what’s changing.
Helene’s size and speed worsened everything from its storm surge to its extreme flooding in the mountains. And another hurricane was coming right on Helene’s heels.
Before sending humans to Mars, NASA will first return humans to the Moon’s surface to test its technology and train astronauts.
As a record-hot summer comes to a close, an atmospheric scientist explains how global warming drove long periods of extreme heat.
It’s rare to see both Nina’s at the same time, but both appeared to be developing in 2024. That could help soften hurricane season, but don’t bet on it.
But this is no long-term solution for storing carbon.
New techniques are helping forecasters spot potentially dangerous storms earlier than ever.
With Debby’s storm track, much of the East Coast is forecast to get soaked. Climate change also plays a role in the downpours.
Fire-produced thunderstorms and tornado-like fire whirls are more common than anyone realized, as high-resolution satellite images and data now show.
To understand how tornadoes behave, scientists need to be near the storm. The movies get some of it right.
Beryl’s strength and rapid intensification set records, raising alarms about what’s already expected to be a very active Atlantic hurricane season, as a meteorologist explains.
An atmospheric scientist explains how hail forms and what to do if you’re suddenly being pelted by giant ice chunks falling from the sky.
Spring 2024 was menacing for large parts of the US, with a tornado nearly every day in May. Tornado outbreaks tore up communities across multiple states.
What really happens when lightning strikes cars, what to do if you’re out in the open or on a beach, and other tips.
The most comprehensive assessment yet of a powerful greenhouse gas shows which countries are driving the increase, and which ones are successfully cutting emissions.
A weather station in the Shetland Islands has one of the world’s best-preserved long records of atmospheric electricity.
A powerful storm system produced dozens of destructive tornadoes over three days that tore apart homes in Oklahoma, Nebraska and Iowa. A meteorologist explains the conditions that fueled them.
You might be wondering: what is a ‘Black Nor'easter’, what’s causing all this rain and does it have anything to do with climate change? Here’s what you need to know.
There are an infinite number of paths an ice crystal can take before you touch it.
Top contributors
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Professor of Atmospheric Science, Colorado State University
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Honorary Fellow, CSIRO
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Professor of Geology and Environmental Geosciences, University of Dayton
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Research Group Leader, CSIRO
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Associate Professor of Geography, University of Tennessee
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Distinguished Professor of Meteorology, Penn State
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Emeritus Professor of Atmospheric Sciences, University of Hawaii
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Associate Professor of Atmospheric Science, University at Albany, State University of New York
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Professor of Meteorology, Senior Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education, Penn State
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Professor of Atmospheric Science, Iowa State University
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Ph.D. Student in Atmospheric Science, University of Michigan
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Professor of Atmospheric Science, University of Michigan
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Professor Emeritus of Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering, University of Michigan
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Assistant Professor of Geography, Middle Tennessee State University
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Professor of Atmospheric Sciences, Climate Change Research Centre, UNSW Sydney
