PMEL in the News
Climate expert expects ‘some major flooding’ this winter
Federal climatologists predict that dry conditions will generally recede over the winter in Washington. Oregon, Idaho and parts of Northern California, providing an early and upbeat outlook on next year’s water supply. NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center forecast a 70 percent chance of a weak La Niña, a cooling of the ocean around the equator.
The Blob, Hangover Edition: Lingering Pool Of Warm Ocean Water Messing With Us
A vast pool of warmer-than-normal ocean water off of the West Coast continues to mess with our weather and sea life. It’s nicknamed “The Blob.” University of Washington research scientist and Washington State Climatologist Nick Bond coined the name for The Blob when he first noticed it offshore in 2014. It has swelled and waned and shifted around since.
Dungeness Crab Fishermen Gear Up For Possible Season Opening
Local Dungeness crab fishermen are gearing up for a possible season opener in two weeks, while keeping an eye on the forecast for “the blob.” That large patch of warm ocean water may be to blame for last year’s dismal crab season.
Extreme cold winters fuelled by jet stream and climate change
Scientists have agreed for the first time that recent severe cold winter weather in the UK and US may have been influenced by climate change in the Arctic, according to a new study. The research, carried out by an international team of scientists including the University of Sheffield, has found that warming in the Arctic may be intensifying the effects of the jet stream’s position, which in the winter can cause extreme cold weather, such as the winter of 2014/15 which saw record snowfall levels in New York.
NOAA invests $6 million to speed use of new technologies to improve forecasts
NOAA Research today announced $6 million in funding to get scientific and technological advances from the government and academia to NOAA’s National Weather Service (NWS) more rapidly, improving severe weather and water hazards forecasting.