Heat. The severe weather of summer and this week the U.S. has been feeling it. The National Weather Service declared either Excessive Heat Warnings or Heat Advisories with temperatures reaching triple digits for more than two-thirds of the U.S. affecting over 150 million people. What is causing the heat? Currently, a high-pressure dome is trapping Read More
Category: Climate
The polar vortex, as its name suggests, is found around the North Pole. It’s a band of strong winds, high in the atmosphere, keeping bitterly cold air locked around the Arctic region. The circulation as such is not considered a single storm, or even a pattern of weather. The North Pole polar vortex expands during Read More
Every year, wildfires destroy thousands of homes and businesses all over the United States. However, they also can rejuvenate the environment if they stay relatively controlled. If a fire burns too much land and plants, then it could decimate entire ecosystems. Moreover, in recent years, scientists found that global warming is causing an increase in Read More
Volcanic eruptions can be disastrous to every organism living in its shadows. However, some volcanoes are so large that they are referred to as supervolcanoes. When supervolcanoes erupt, it can have world-wide catastrophic effects. In 1816, Mount Tambora erupted in Indonesia, and the emitted ash blocked out the sun in areas as far away as Read More
Global warming is causing an overall decrease in sea ice distribution and structure. Arctic ecosystems and populations are exhibiting large-scale fluctuations in comparison to the naturally observed climate cycles. Large alterations of habitats cause shifts in trophic interactions, which can eventually lead to extinction. Populations of polar bears and other pagophilic species have been negatively Read More
The ozone layer is located about 9.3-18.6 miles above the Earth’s surface and serves as a barrier that absorbs the majority of the ultraviolet rays emitted by the sun. By absorbing the damaging ultraviolet rays, the ozone layer prevents them from reaching Earth and protects us from the dangerous consequences of ultraviolet exposure. Ultraviolet rays Read More