MetaFilter posts tagged with weather and environment

Lake Erie is sick.

Fizz — Sun, 24 Mar 2013 10:18:48 -0800

Spring Rain, Then Foul Algae in Ailing Lake Erie: [New York Times]

"A thick and growing coat of toxic algae appears each summer, so vast that in 2011 it covered a sixth of its waters, contributing to an expanding dead zone on its bottom, reducing fish populations, fouling beaches and crippling a tourism industry that generates more than $10 billion in revenue annually."

Our 4°C future

Egg Shen — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 15:06:56 -0800

In a report released [Tuesday], the World Bank analyzed the consequences of allowing temperatures to reach 4°C above pre-industrial levels by the end of the century. ... the report's authors admit that predications are a challenge. Still, they do their best to try to paint a picture, and boy, is it grim.

"Because clouds are boundless, weather control is boundless."

jeffburdges — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 22:32:53 -0800

Five regional weather control programs in northeastern China seek to increase precipitation by 10 percent. See Beijing Weather Modification Office (previously)

Yasi is coming

bystander — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 18:31:14 -0800

Australia is copping another pounding from natural disasters. After the floods across Brisbane (previously) in South-east Queensland, North Queensland is in the firing line for a Category 5 cyclone called Yasi. The official warning: THIS IMPACT IS LIKELY TO BE MORE LIFE THREATENING THAN ANY EXPERIENCED DURING RECENT GENERATIONS. It's the same area that was pummeled in 2006 by Cyclone Larry (prev 1 , prev 2). Political debate has lately been about whether a piddling levy on above average income earners is a valid response to the costs of rebuilding after the floods, while some are calling for the establishment of an emergency fund to cover disasters in the future.

Visualizing data: scientific sculptural weaving

madamjujujive — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 07:24:22 -0800

Nathalie Miebach translates scientific data related to meteorology and ecology into woven sculptures and musical scores. She discusses her work in an interview with the Peabody Essex Museum. (via Mira y Calla)

If global warming is real, why is it cold outside?

p3on — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 01:24:21 -0800

"...Arctic sea ice – frozen seawater that floats on the ocean surface – is now at its lowest physical extent ever recorded for the time of year, suggesting that it is on course to break the previous record low set in 2007.
...
Earth has been 0.65C warmer over the past 12 months than during the 1951 to 1980 mean, and that the global temperature for 2010 will exceed the 2005 record."

2010 set to be the warmest year on record.

Executive Elm Toppled, Bushes Intact

brownpau — Mon, 26 Jun 2006 21:27:01 -0800

Pull out a US $20 bill. Take a look at the picture of the White House. See that tree peeking in from the right, the 140 year old elm that's been there since Andrew Johnson? Well, it's gone. Yup. Fallen over, thanks to the soaker summer storms which have been hammering the Mid-Atlantic in recent days. Cleanup has started, but no word on whether the $20 bill will be needing another update.

n0pr0n0uns.h3r3

jfuller — Sun, 26 Jan 2003 15:53:32 -0800

China is drying up and blowing to California. Right now, tonight. Sorry, no 2008 Beijing Olympics, east Asia n'exist plus. Here's satellite pix of some of the 20 Chinese megastorms that have already occurred this baby century from NASA and NOAA and NASA again and a Google search returning zillions of other links, for fellow regressives who wouldn't ordinarily hang out at CommonDreams.org. (initial link from robotwisdom)

London Vs. The Smog Monster

jonson — Wed, 22 Jan 2003 11:38:59 -0800

50 years ago last month, a dark cloud settled in over London. And stayed for four days. This fog, which was brought on by a lethal combination of high pressure, near freezing temperatures and London's pervasive coal burning, starting killing things. At first, the animals at a cattle show, then the elderly, or those prone to resperatory disease. By the end, over 4,000 people had died. Strangely, to this day the disaster retains a low profile, unlike more glamorous disasters such as the Titanic, or Bhopal. Stranger still, is that unlike those others, while the fog was at its most deadly, few realized there was even an epidemic occurring, with most viewing it as, at worst, a mild nuisance.