This press conference at the AGU (American Geophysical Union's fall meeting) this year is brilliantly timed, coming just two years after a series of big AR storms surprised Southern California, and a week or so after one hit Northern California. Improving forecasts of “Pineapple Expresses”Monday, 3 December1:30 p.m. NOAA scientists and colleagues are installing theContinue reading “Atmospheric River press conference at AGU 2012”
Tag Archives: USGS
Japan Earthquake: 1000x stronger than Port-au-Prince quake
A couple of striking facts from a briefing on the earthquake in Japan, and the subsequent tsunami: According to Dave Applegate, of the US Geological Survey, this quake, measuring "almost nine" on the Richter scale, substantially ruptured the earth's crust, tearing it up for 150 or more miles. Applegate said the energy released by theContinue reading “Japan Earthquake: 1000x stronger than Port-au-Prince quake”
Delta earthquake risk serious, but not catastrophic: USGS
A soon-to-be-released report from the US Geological Survey finds the Sacramento-San Joaquin delta would be hit even harder by an earthquake than previously believed, but with winter rains, the Delta would also recover more quickly than was estimated in a state study just three years ago. This excellent story by Pat McBroom in The CaliforniaContinue reading “Delta earthquake risk serious, but not catastrophic: USGS”
Antarctic ice in broad-scale retreat: USGS
According to the USGS, the Antarctic ice shelves contain about 91% of the world's frozen water. So news that they are melting across the full extent of the planet's coldest continent, and have been steadily since l949 because of global warming, is not great news, despite what deniers such as George Will call the "tantrums"Continue reading “Antarctic ice in broad-scale retreat: USGS”
SoCal Megadroughts and Megafires: Caused by Climate Change?
On an insufferably hot Santa Ana condition day in SoCal, it’s worth asking if the fire season we face this year is directly linked to the lack of rain we’ve experienced for the last three years, and, more broadly, from the “megadrought” identified by numerous researchers this century. Here’s what that long-term drought looks likeContinue reading “SoCal Megadroughts and Megafires: Caused by Climate Change?”
Kit Stolz 