The surreal heat that’s baking much of the central and eastern USA has unleashed an unusually early and intense blast of tree pollen, making life miserable for tens of millions of people who suffer from seasonal allergies. Forecasters and allergists blame the unseasonably warm weather, and few cold snaps, for causing plants to bloom weeks [...]
Signal: early spring
Summer in March: “one the most extreme meteorological events in U.S. history”
Each year, when the list of coldest U.S. cities is compiled, International Falls, Minnesota regularly winds up at the top of the list, earning its title as “Icebox of the Nation”. The city once hit -55°F (on January 6, 1909), and takes pride in the distinction of being the coldest city in the U.S., having [...]
Unusually warm days triggering early asthma season
A mild winter and an early onset of spring has allergy season blooming early this year. Experts say the effects are being felt six to eight weeks prematurely. March is already following a trend that people have experienced all winter-long – marking one of the warmest on record. Doug Marshall, 49, has had allergies his [...]
Cherry Blossoms predicted to bloom early, yet again, this year
Washington is getting ready to celebrate 100 years with its famous cherry blossom trees, and peak bloom season is just around the corner. The National Park Service announced Thursday that the peak bloom dates for the trees’ pink and white flowers are expected to be March 24 to March 31. That’s when 70 percent of [...]
Arctic plankton blooming up to 50 days earlier now
Each summer, an explosion of tiny ocean-dwelling plants and algae, called phytoplankton, anchors the Arctic food web. But these vital annual blooms of phytoplankton are now peaking up to 50 days earlier than they did 14 years ago, satellite data show. “The ice is retreating earlier in the Arctic, and the phytoplankton blooms are also [...]
Iowa now warmer, wetter, and flooding
Climate change already is affecting the daily lives of Iowans and will do so more profoundly in the future, according to a report commissioned by the Iowa Legislature. The effects of the changing climate can readily be seen on the farm, the report says, including: >> The growing season is longer, so farmers are planting [...]
Early spring for Lake Tahoe in 2010: satellite images
With the peaks of the Sierra Nevada on its west and the Carson Range on its east, high-altitude Lake Tahoe has a long winter. By mid-November, the ski resorts that ring the lake typically have enough snow to open for business. Spring comes gradually, with snow melting fastest in mid-May. This pair of images shows [...]
