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NEW YORK (AP) — Garden centers enjoyed a pandemic boom, particularly with millennials, as people looked for outdoor activities during lockdowns. To regain the sales momentum, garden centers must navigate a number of challenges as another spring season kicks in. At Flowercraft Garden Center, a San Francisco garden center that is in its 50th year of operation, houseplants, vegetable starter plants and citrus trees are selling well, said general manager Lydia Patubo. That was good for an area suffering from a yearslong drought, but bad for garden center business. Even though his sales have plateaued since the pandemic, he feels the 34-year-old garden center is in a good spot.

Persons: Danny Summers, Summers, That’s, ”, Lydia Patubo, Patubo, San Francisco, ” Patubo, Chris Cordrey, “, ” Cordray, hasn’t, Kat McGraw, ” McGraw Organizations: Survey, The Garden Center Group, Garden, ”, East Coast Garden, National, Administration, Co, Atlanta, “ Locations: U.S, San Francisco, San, California, Millsboro , Delaware, Chattanooga , Tennessee, Nashville, Tennessee

☆ Global ocean heat has been at record levels every single day for the last year
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-18 | by ( Laura Paddison | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

But he added that the records were unsurprising, given that ocean heat is being supercharged by human-caused global warming, a series of marine heatwaves and El Niño, a natural climate pattern marked by higher-than-average ocean temperatures. Global ocean warmth can add more power to hurricanes and other extreme weather events, including scorching heat waves and intense rainfall. Ocean heat sets the stage for more ferocious hurricanes. “Measuring ocean warming allows us to track the status and evolution of planetary warming,” Schuckmann told CNN. But, she added, it’s currently impossible to predict when ocean heat will drop below record levels.

Persons: ”, Joel Hirschi, El, Karina von Schuckmann, Brian McNoldy, ” Hirschi, ” Schuckmann, it’s, Derek Van Dam Organizations: CNN, National Oceanic, Atmospheric Administration, University of Maine’s, National Oceanography, University of Miami Rosenstiel School Locations: Australia, France

☆ New map shows just how extreme last month was for the planet
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-15 | by ( Rachel Ramirez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

Unusually warm oceans. Low snow cover in North America and record low levels of Antarctic sea ice. The map shows the world’s most significant “climate anomalies,” or weather events that were unexpected for this time of year. The Northern Hemisphere also experienced an unusually warm winter. Correction: A previous version of this story misstated how low Antarctic sea ice was last month.

Organizations: CNN, National Oceanic, Atmospheric Administration, NOAA, Northern, North Locations: North America, Antarctica, Great, Europe, Ecuador, Madagascar, Africa

☆ National Park Service set to remove nearly 160 cherry trees in DC to repair seawall
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-14 | by ( Shania Shelton | Rachel Ramirez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —The National Park Service is gearing up to remove nearly 160 cherry trees in Washington, DC, in an effort to repair the city’s deteriorating seawalls, the agency announced Wednesday. More than 450 trees, including 274 cherry trees, will be replanted in the area when the project is finished, the NPS said in a statement. “And there will be an enormous increase in the number of trees that are out there.”Rising sea levels and warming temperatures threaten the thousands of cherry trees in Washington, DC. Construction around the Tidal Basin will remove about 140 cherry trees between the Thomas Jefferson Memorial and the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial. The tree removal effort comes as the annual National Cherry Blossom Festival is set to take place from March 20 to April 14, bringing crowds to the area.

Persons: we’re, ”, Mike Litterst, ” Litterst, Thomas Jefferson, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, weren’t, Litterst, “, Derek Van Dam Organizations: CNN, National, Service, West Potomac, Cherry Blossom, NPS, National Mall, Memorial Parks, Thomas Jefferson Memorial, Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial, National Oceanic, Atmospheric Administration, Seaboard, DC, Great American, Fund Locations: Washington , DC, Potomac, West, West Potomac Park, Washington ,, —, “

☆ NASA’s Europa Clipper mission will carry a poem and millions of names to ocean moon
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-12 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —When NASA’s Europa Clipper aims to launch on its highly anticipated mission to an icy moon in October, the spacecraft will carry a unique design etched with names, poetry and artwork symbolizing humanity. This latest mission is headed to Jupiter’s moon Europa, one of several lunar ocean worlds considered to be the best places to search for life beyond Earth. NASA/JPL-CaltechA planetary legacyEarly NASA probes such as Pioneer 10 and Voyager have continued to inspire the artwork that travels aboard other planetary science missions. “The content and design of Europa Clipper’s vault plate are swimming with meaning,” said Lori Glaze, director of NASA’s Planetary Science Division, in a statement. “We’ve packed a lot of thought and inspiration into this plate design, as we have into this mission itself,” said Robert Pappalardo, project scientist at JPL, in a statement.

Persons: Ada Limón, Ron Greeley, Drake, Frank Drake, ”, Lori Glaze, Robert Pappalardo, “ It’s Organizations: CNN, Clipper, Parker, Probe, National Oceanic, Atmospheric Administration, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, ”, US, Arizona State University, University of California, NASA, JPL, Caltech, Planetary Science, Europa Clipper Locations: Pasadena , California, Europa, University of California Santa Cruz

☆ 'Holes' in Earth's magnetic field could cause extra northern lights this month. Here's how to spot them.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-11 | by ( Morgan Mcfall-Johnsen | Marianne Guenot | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

March 2024 may be the best month in the best year to see the Northern Lights, aka aurora borealis. Here's everything you need to know to spot the northern lights. AdvertisementThis could be the best month, of the best year for two decades, to see the Northern Lights, in part, thanks to openings in Earth's magnetic field. The northern lights dance in the skies above Riverton, Wyoming. If you're lucky and you plan right, you might be able to see the Northern Lights this month.

Persons: —, Matt Owens, SANKA VIDANAGAMA, Rune Stoltz Bertinussen, we've, It's Organizations: Service, NASA, International Space Station, University of Reading, Getty, National Oceanic, Atmospheric Administration, Reuters, Weather, NWS, Royal Photographic Society Locations: Riverton , Wyoming, Riverton, Arizona, Florida, Australia, New Zealand, Phoenix , Arizona, Christchurch , New Zealand, AFP, Alaska, Norway, Tromso, Gaylor , Missouri

Across much of America and especially in the normally chilly north, the country went through the winter months without, well, winter. The Lower 48 states averaged 37.6 degrees (3.1 degrees Celsius), which is 5.4 degrees (3 degrees Celsius) above average. But Iowa blew past its warmest February by 2 degrees, while parts of Minnesota were 20 degrees warmer than average for all of February, Gleason said. A strong ridge of high pressure kept the eastern United States warm and dry, while California kept getting hit with atmospheric rivers, she said. Winter weather expert Cohen, who is based outside of Boston, joked that the U.S. no longer has four seasons: "We have two seasons.

Persons: “, El Nino, ”, Jeff Masters, Masters, Karin Gleason, Gleason, Copernicus, Judah Cohen, Cohen, ” Cohen, Theresa Crimmins, weren’t, Crimmins, ” Crimmins, Patrick Whittle, ___ Read, Seth Borenstein Organizations: National Phenology Network, El, Climate, National Oceanic, Atmospheric Administration, National Centers for Environmental, Iowa, El Nino, Associated Press, Atmospheric Environmental Research, National Weather Service, Rutgers Snow Lab Locations: America, Colorado, New Jersey, Texas, Carolinas, U.S, Michigan, United States, Minnesota, Great, California, El, That's, Boston, Europe, Asia, Fort Kent, Maine, Portland , Maine, AP.org

☆ Australia: Mass coral bleaching event underway at Great Barrier Reef
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-07 | by ( Helen Regan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

This is the seventh mass bleaching event to hit the vast, ecologically important but fragile site and the fifth in only eight years. Covering nearly 133,000 square miles (345,000 square kilometers), the Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest coral reef, home to more than 1,500 species of fish and 411 species of hard corals. Severe mass bleaching at the Great Barrier Reef had previously been observed in 1998, 2002, 2016, 2017, 2020 and 2022. Sunrise over the Great Barrier Reef at Lady Elliot island on October 10, 2019. Jonas Gratzer/LightRocket/Getty Images/FileBy continuing on the current pathway, “we risk losing the Great Barrier Reef and the $6 billion sustainable tourism industry,” said Schindler.

Persons: CNN —, El Niño, ”, Tanya Plibersek, Anthony Albanese, Dr, Lissa Schindler, Lady Elliot, Jonas Gratzer, Schindler, “, David Ritter, Derek Manzello Organizations: CNN, Park Authority, Australian Institute of Marine Science, El, Australian Marine Conservation Society, Australian, Australia, Greenpeace Australia Pacific, Labor, Oceanic, NOAA, Reuters, Reef Watch Locations: Australia, Lady, Southern, Pacific

☆ Satellites burning up in our atmosphere may not be as harmless as first thought
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-02 | by ( Marianne Guenot | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Satellites and spacecraft burning up in our atmosphere are leaving metal particles in the stratosphere — and scientists are worried it could harm our planet. Stratospheric particles can shape the ozone layerRemember the ozone layer? AdvertisementThat, in turn, can spark a chain reaction that creates rainbow-colored polar stratospheric clouds. Polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs) are seen in the sky over Jukkasjarvi, northern Sweden, on December 17, 2023 in Jukkasjarvi, Sweden. "There's an increasing number of rocket launches for small satellites and tourism, which burn kerosene or other fuels that emissions in the atmosphere.

Persons: Daniel Murphy, that's, Roy Rochlin, Murphy, Thomas Parent, Chelsea Thompson, Martin Chipperfield, Chipperfield, It's Organizations: Service, Business, National Oceanic, Administration Chemical Science, NASA, WB, NOAA, University of Leeds Locations: Montreal, Tonga, Sweden, Jukkasjarvi, Alaska, UK

☆ Australia’s Great Barrier Reef suffers ‘extensive’ coral bleaching, as scientists fear seventh mass bleaching event
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-29 | by ( Helen Regan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —The southern Great Barrier Reef is suffering from extensive coral bleaching due to heat stress, the reef’s managers said Wednesday, raising fears that a seventh mass bleaching event could be unfolding across the vast, ecologically important site. Jonas Gratzer/LightRocket/Getty ImagesThe Great Barrier Reef’s managers plan to extend aerial and in-water surveys across the entire reef over the coming weeks. Hotter ocean temperatures caused severe mass bleaching at the Great Barrier Reef in 2016, 2017 and 2020. Last year, the UNESCO World Heritage Committee decided not to add the Great Barrier Reef to its list of sites “in danger,” despite scientific evidence suggesting the risk of another mass bleaching event. Greenpeace’s Ritter said that following the decision, “the Australian government promised to do everything it can to protect the Great Barrier Reef.

Persons: Mark Read, Elliot, Jonas Gratzer, ”, Neal Cantin, Maya Srinivasan, ” Srinivasan, ” David Ritter, “, ” Ove Hoegh, Greenpeace’s Ritter Organizations: CNN, Park Authority, Australian Institute of Marine Science, El, James Cook University, Marine Park Authority, Greenpeace Australia Pacific, Foundation, Oceanic, UNESCO World Heritage Committee, Labor Locations: Keppel, Gladstone, Queensland, Australia, Cairns, Florida, Caribbean

☆ Google cofounder Sergey Brin faces wrongful-death lawsuit from pilot's widow over fatal plane crash
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-23 | by ( Camilo Fonseca | Joshua Zitser | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Google cofounder Sergey Brin is facing a wrongful-death lawsuit stemming from a plane crash last year that killed two crew members en route to a private island in the South Pacific. The lawsuit also alleges that Brin intentionally delayed the recovery process. The suit identifies Brin, Google, and Bayshore Global Management — Brin's family office — as the "owner/operators" of the aircraft. While the lawsuit does mention various recovery efforts conducted by Brin's team, it alleges frequent and drawn-out delays. Olarte Maclean alleges that Brin's representatives cited weather conditions at the crash site and their interactions with the USCG as excuses.

Persons: Sergey Brin, Brin, Lance Maclean, Dean Rushfeldt, Olarte Maclean, Steven C, Marks, Larry Page Organizations: South Pacific, Business, Coast Guard, Los Angeles Times, Google, Bayshore Global Management, Bayshore, LA Times, Oceanic, Atmospheric Administration, NOAA, Brin's, Seafly LLC, Southern Cross Aviation, BI Locations: South, California, Hawaii, Santa Rosa , California, Fiji, Honolulu, Fiji's Mamanuca

☆ Bridgit Mendler went from Disney star to space startup CEO with $6.3M in funding—it started with an accidental college major
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-21 | by ( Ashton Jackson | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Bridgit Mendler's path from Disney Channel star to space startup CEO started with — quite literally — an accident. The 31-year-old is the CEO and co-founder of Northwood Space, a company based in El Segundo, California that aims to mass-produce ground stations — otherwise known as the antennae that communicate with space satellites. "While everybody else was making their sourdough starters [during the Covid-19 pandemic], we were building antennas out of random crap we could find at Home Depot ... and receiving data from [National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration] satellites," Mendler told CNBC on Monday while announcing her startup. "I'm studying anthropology," Mendler told ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live" in 2015. While at Harvard, she served as co-president of the Harvard Space Law Society, according to her LinkedIn profile.

Persons: —, Charlie, Mendler, ABC's, Jimmy Kimmel, Griffin, Andreessen Horowitz, Peter Thiel's Organizations: Disney Channel, Northwood, National Oceanic, Administration, CNBC, University of Southern, USC, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MIT Media Lab, Harvard Law School, Harvard, Harvard Space Law Society, Founders, Humba Ventures, Elon, SpaceX, Technologies, Northrop Grumman Locations: El Segundo , California, University of Southern California, Northwood

Federal authorities said the second critically endangered North Atlantic right whale found dead in the last month showed injuries consistent with a collision with a ship. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said it was notified of a dead right whale floating off Savannah, Georgia, on Feb. 13. “The North Atlantic right whale’s nursery is becoming a crime scene," said Greg Reilly, southeast marine campaigner for International Fund for Animal Welfare. "Without enhanced protections, the North Atlantic right whale is doomed to extinction. The right whales were once abundant off the East Coast, but they were decimated during the commercial whaling era and have been slow to recover.

Persons: ”, Greg Reilly, Kevin Kelley Organizations: Atmospheric Administration, NOAA, International Fund for Animal Welfare, Maine Lobstermen's Association, “ Locations: Savannah , Georgia, Massachusetts, Atlantic, Maine, “ Maine, East Coast, Florida, Georgia, New England

Record hot seawater killed more than three-quarters of human-cultivated coral that scientists had placed in the Florida Keys in recent years in an effort to prop up a threatened species that’s highly vulnerable to climate change, researchers discovered. They saw widespread death in both repopulated and wild coral on five Florida Keys reefs. Only 22% of the 1,500 repopulated staghorn coral that they surveyed was still alive, NOAA said. “What happened in 2023 was absolutely devastating,” said retired NOAA coral monitoring chief Mark Eakin, who now is corresponding secretary for the International Coral Reef Society. “Coral restoration is almost certainly doomed to fail under climate change,” Baum said in an email.

Persons: critters, Katey, ” Lesneski, Lesneski, “, It's, that's, ”, Mark Eakin, ” Eakin, Eakin, Julia Baum, ” Baum, it's, Seth Borenstein Organizations: National Oceanic, Atmospheric Administration, El Nino, NOAA, Looe Key, NOAA's, Coral Reef Society, University of Victoria, Associated Press Locations: Florida, elkhorn, El, Looe, AP.org

☆ A Rare Whale Is Found Dead Off Georgia
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Johnny Diaz | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

A rare North Atlantic right whale was found dead this week off the coast of Georgia, the second fatality in recent weeks involving the critically endangered species, the federal agency that monitors the oceans said. The whale that died was the female calf of the North Atlantic right whale No. 4340, also known as Pilgrim, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said in a statement on Thursday. The agency was notified on Tuesday that there was a dead whale floating offshore near Savannah, Ga. The whale, born in 2022, was identified after an aerial survey team from the Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute searched and found the carcass on Wednesday about 20 miles off Tybee Island, which is about 18 miles east of Savannah.

Persons: Pilgrim Organizations: National Oceanic, Atmospheric Administration, Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute Locations: Atlantic, Georgia, East Coast, United States, Atlantic Canada, Savannah , Ga, Savannah

Photos You Should See View All 21 Images“It also depends on the rate of climate change we are inducing as humanity,” van Westen said. The Dutch team simulated 2,200 years of its flow, adding in what human-caused climate change does to it. They found after 1,750 years “an abrupt AMOC collapse,” but so far are unable to translate that simulated timeline to Earth's real future. "This value is getting more negative under climate change,” van Westen said. The world should pay attention to potential AMOC collapse, said Joel Hirschi, division leader at the United Kingdom's National Oceanography Centre.

Persons: ”, Rene van Westen, “, ” van Westen, it's, van Westen, Stefan Rahmstorf, ” Rahmstorf, Tim Lenton, ” Lenton, Wei Cheng, Joel Hirschi, ” Hirschi, ” ___ Read, Seth Borenstein Organizations: Southern, Utrecht University, United Nations, Earth Systems, Potsdam Institute, Climate Research, ” University of Exeter, National Oceanic, Atmospheric Administration, NASA, Pacific, U.S ., United, National Oceanography, Associated Press Locations: Europe, Netherlands, Germany, Greenland, Americas, Africa, Florida, U.S, U.S . East Coast, AP.org

☆ Atlantic Ocean currents may be on the verge of collapse, which could plunge Europe into a deep freeze, a new study shows
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-09 | by ( Seth Borenstein | Associated Press | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

“It also depends on the rate of climate change we are inducing as humanity,” van Westen said. AdvertisementThe Dutch team simulated 2,200 years of its flow, adding in what human-caused climate change does to it. They found after 1,750 years “an abrupt AMOC collapse,” but so far are unable to translate that simulated timeline to Earth's real future. "This value is getting more negative under climate change,” van Westen said. The world should pay attention to potential AMOC collapse, said Joel Hirschi, division leader at the United Kingdom's National Oceanography Centre.

Persons: ”, Rene van Westen, “, Bob Edme, ” van Westen, it's, van Westen, Stefan Rahmstorf, ” Rahmstorf, Tim Lenton, Thwaites, ” Lenton, Wei Cheng, Joel Hirschi, ” Hirschi, ” ___ Read Organizations: Service, Southern, Utrecht University, AP, United Nations, Earth Systems, Potsdam Institute, Climate Research, University, Exeter, NASA, National Oceanic, Atmospheric Administration, Pacific, U.S ., United, National Oceanography Locations: Europe, Northwestern, Netherlands, Germany, Greenland, Americas, Africa, Florida, U.S, U.S . East Coast

☆ Atmospheric river: Definition, relationship to hurricanes, potential benefits, and more FAQs answered
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-08 | by ( Jenny Mcgrath | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Atmospheric rivers are rivers of water vapors low in the Earth's atmosphere. Below, we answer some FAQs about atmospheric rivers. What causes an atmospheric river? Atmospheric rivers and hurricanes have a few things in common, Cordeira said, but "the processes in the atmosphere that give rise to a hurricane are different than the processes that give rise to atmospheric rivers." In 1994, MIT researchers Yong Zhu and Reginald E. Newell published a paper about "atmospheric rivers and bombs."

Persons: Jason Cordeira, Cordeira, El, it's, Carlos Barria, they're, Yong Zhu, Reginald E, Newell, Ralph et al Organizations: Service, Los Angeles Times, Scripps Institution of Oceanography's Center, Western, National Oceanic, Atmospheric Administration, West, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, REUTERS, MIT, University of California Locations: West Coast, Southern California, Mississippi, California, California , Oregon, Washington, Europe, Chile, New Zealand, Australia, West, Bolinas , California, Hawaii, San Diego

Outside, the tornado had turned the farm’s 103-year-old barn to rubble and strewn debris across the fields for hundreds of yards. Patterson, the meteorologist, said the storm was like ones typically seen in Wisconsin in the late spring and summer. That comes after a 2018 study found that tornadoes were moving farther east, into states like Wisconsin. Conditions collided in Wisconsin late afternoon on Thursday creating the perfect conditions for tornadoes to form, Patterson said. Photos and video shot near Evansville, Wisconsin, that were posted on social media show a tornado with lightning flashing around it.

Persons: Taylor Patterson, Connie Arndt, ”, “, Matt Artis, Artis, ” Hunter Oller, Patterson, El, Dan Wagner, Andy, couldn’t, Andy Wagner, Carrie Antlfinger, Bauer, Brodhead Organizations: National Weather Service, Local, Atmospheric Administration, El Nino, Artis, Associated Press Locations: EVANSVILLE, Wis, Wisconsin, Madison, Iowa, Milwaukee, Evansville, family’s, Porter, Brodhead , Wisconsin, Magnolia, Washington, New Mexico, Upper Midwest, Maine, Evansville , Wisconsin

☆ Storms in California hit homeowners already facing an insurance crisis
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-06 | by ( Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Washington, DC CNN —The storms pummeling California this week hit a part of the US already being battered by a home insurance crisis. With insurers strained by climate change and inflation, many are demanding higher premiums, making it much harder to find affordable (or any) home and fire insurance. But it is not just California; homeowners in other areas prone to weather events like Florida, Louisiana, and Texas are also facing challenges. Meanwhile, in hurricane-battered Florida, Farmers Insurance deemed it too risky to continue insuring homes and pulled out of that market entirely. “This isn’t just climate change, it is climate-change-plus,” Bach said.

Persons: ”, Amy Bach, United, Michael Monaghan, Sellers, you’ve, Jennifer Branchini, Bach, Hurricane Andrew, ” Bach, mitigations Organizations: DC CNN, Allstate, Farmers Insurance, Coldwell, California Association of Realtors, National Oceanic, Atmospheric Administration, Hurricane, FAIR, California Department of Insurance Locations: Washington, California, Florida , Louisiana, Texas, San Francisco, California’s, Golden State, Florida, Vermont, Colorado, Pleasanton, United, “ Florida, Louisiana

☆ See Where Heavy Rainfall Deluged California
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-05 | by ( Zach Levitt | Elena Shao | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

See Where Heavy Rainfall Deluged CaliforniaHourly precipitation Total precipitation accumulation 0.5 1 2 3 4 inchesSource: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Centers for Environmental Prediction Notes: Data reflects near-real-time analysis of liquid precipitation amounts. The storm lingered over Southern California on Monday, with some areas receiving record-breaking rainfall. The Los Angeles River in Los Angeles, Calif., on Monday. Residents dig out a road after a mudslide in the Sherman Oaks neighborhood of Los Angeles. ReutersThe latest storm is the second atmospheric river to drench California in a few days.

Persons: Jenna Schoenefeld, Jill Cowan Organizations: Centers for, Times, National Weather Service, Calif, The New York Times, Hollywood, The New York, Reuters, Area, Coast Locations: California, Southern California, Los Angeles, Los, Santa Monica, Studio City, San Fernando Valley, Laurel, Studio, Angeles, Sherman Oaks, drench California

☆ Can groundhogs or other animals predict the weather?
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-02 | by ( Jackie Wattles | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —Punxatawney Phil, the central character of the annual rite of winter known as Groundhog’s Day, isn’t great at his job. Education Images/Universal Images Group/Getty ImagesThe Old Farmer’s Almanac has aggregated a couple dozen adages about insects, animals and their ability to predict weather patterns. Researchers in Germany also looked into whether various species of animals could detect an oncoming earthquake. Fact vs. folkloreOther tropes about animals’ ability to predict seasonal conditions, however, are wrong. But in reality, the “caterpillar’s coloring is based on how long (the) caterpillar has been feeding, its age, and species,” according to the National Weather Service.

Persons: CNN —, Phil, isn’t, Theresa Crimmins, phenology, ” Crimmins, “, ”, it’s, Max, Gordon Miller, ” Miller, Crimmins, Miller, Rachel Carson Organizations: CNN, National Phenology, United States —, USA National Phenology Network, University of Wisconsin -, Max Planck Society, Dolbear’s, Oceanic, Administration, Seattle University, National Weather Service Locations: United States, Germany, University of Wisconsin - Madison, North America, Mendota Heights , Minnesota, Tennessee

“This experimental graphic will help better convey wind hazard risk inland in addition to coastal wind hazards,” the center said in the post. Heavy rains and strong winds can be deadly and cause significant damage inland, which happened in 2022 with Hurricane Ian, when 149 people died in Florida. The goal of the expanded forecast cone is to make sure people who don't live along a coast are aware of the dangers they could still face, said Jamie Rhome, deputy director of the hurricane center. Ian produced between 10 and 20 inches (51 centimeters) of rain across much of central Florida, the hurricane center reported. Only Hurricane Idalia struck the U.S., coming ashore in the lightly-populated Big Bend region of Florida's Gulf Coast but also causing significant inland flooding.

Persons: Hurricane Ian, Jamie Rhome, ” Rhome, Ian, Ian slogged, Chad Jorgensen, Alberto, Idalia Organizations: National Hurricane Center, Hurricane, Fire, National Oceanic, Atmospheric Administration Locations: PETERSBURG, Fla, The Miami, Florida, Fort Myers, Orlando, Kissimmee, Daytona Beach, Florida’s, DeSoto County, U.S, Florida's Gulf

However, a quick glance at The Weather Channel this year might indicate the groundhog should predict an early spring for large parts of the U.S. Some lore says that if the groundhog “sees its shadow” there will be six more weeks of winter, and if it doesn’t, there will be an early spring. Weather forecasts over the next week indicate that much of that warmer weather will sweep Northern states. Therefore, a groundhog prediction of six more weeks of winter for California, Florida, Nevada, Arizona and Alaska would feel accurate for residents keeping their coats on. NOAA|National Weather ServiceWith warmer weather sweeping states used to snow, some are concerned that climate change is swinging the odds closer to an early spring each year.

Persons: Phil Organizations: U.S, National Oceanic, Atmospheric Administration, NOAA, National Weather Service Locations: Punxsutawney , Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, West Coast, California , Florida , Nevada , Arizona, Alaska, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota , Wisconsin , Iowa , Nebraska, Montana

Here's a look at the phenomenon:___WHAT IS AN ATMOSPHERIC RIVER? Atmospheric rivers are long and relatively narrow bands of water vapor that form over an ocean and flow through the sky, transporting much of the moisture from the tropics to northern latitudes. While traditional cold winter storms out of the north Pacific build the Sierra snowpack, atmospheric rivers tend to be warm. ___WHERE DID THE TERM ATMOSPHERIC RIVER COME FROM? Atmospheric rivers are often referred to as ARs.

Persons: Yong Zhu, Reginald E, Newell Organizations: National Oceanic, Atmospheric Administration, . Geological Survey, U.S ., Scripps Institution of Oceanography's Center, Western, California -, NOAA, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Locations: California, Hawaii, West Coast, United States, Mississippi, U.S . West Coast, Sierra Nevada, California - Nevada

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