In the News
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Vanishing Bering Sea ice threatens one of the richest U.S. seafood sources
When ice failed to cover much of the eastern Bering Sea between Alaska and Russia in early 2018, oceanographer James Overland chalked it up to a freak chance. Then, it happened again this year, with late-winter sea ice falling to some of the lowest levels seen in at least 4 decades. Drs. Jim Overland and Phyllis Stabeno are quoted.
Scientists: Southeast Alaska vulnerable to ocean acidification
Southeast Alaska is poised to be among the first regions in the world affected by ocean acidification. The Alaska Ocean Acidification Network hosted a public presentation Wednesday about the phenomenon that is making ocean water more acidic, and Alaska scientists explained why Southeast is likely to be impacted more quickly than other parts of the world. Jessica Cross is quoted.
Wind Change Pulls Curtain Back On A Future Bering Sea
For those who wonder what the Bering Sea will be like decades from now, last year was a glimpse of the future. Join Phyllis Stabeno and Tom Van Pelt on KYUK, Alaska's Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta.
NOAA deploys a flotilla of Saildrones in the Arctic
In 2014, the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) partnered with Saildrone, Inc. to test the possibilities of using unmanned sailing vehicles to collect data. From 2015 to 2017, missions including one to the Bering Sea, were used to verify the data platforms and to confirm that the sensors were working well. Each year they continued to tweak the challenge sensors adding more complex variables. Jessica Cross is quoted.
Why a Quiet Hurricane Season Isn't Necessarily a Good Thing
Forecasters at Colorado State University say the approaching peak of the 2018 hurricane season will be relatively quiet in the Atlantic Basin. But a report released Wednesday by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration pointed out a troubling trend that could have implications for future hurricane forecasting: Warming in the Arctic could drive future Atlantic hurricane tracks farther west and thus make a U.S. landfall more likely. Jim Overland is quoted.