EnvironmentMay 21, 2014
"Unprecedented" Flooding in Balkans Caused by Low Pressure Parked over SE Europe
In just a few days last week, some areas in Bosnia and Serbia received an amount of rain equivalent to one third of their annual total
Stories by Andrea Thompson
Andrea Thompson is senior editor for Earth and environment at Scientific American, covering the environment, energy and Earth sciences. She has been covering these topics for nearly two decades. Prior to joining Scientific American, she was a senior writer covering climate science at Climate Central and a reporter and editor at Live Science, where she primarily covered earth science and the environment. She has moderated panels, including as part of the United Nations Sustainable Development Media Zone, and appeared in radio and television interviews on major networks. She holds a graduate degree in science, health and environmental reporting from New York University, as well as a B.S. and an M.S. in atmospheric chemistry from the Georgia Institute of Technology. Follow Thompson on Bluesky @andreatweather.bsky.social
EnvironmentMay 18, 2014
100 Percent of California Now in Highest Stages of Drought
The state got no rain relief during the December–March wet season, according to a new national drought report
EnvironmentMay 15, 2014
How Low Will the Arctic's Summer Sea Ice Go?
Seasonal sea ice projections for this summer could be improved by including measurements of pools of water that collect on top of sea ice as it melts
EnvironmentMay 12, 2014
Melt of Key Antarctic Glaciers "Unstoppable"
Radar observations of glaciers along West Antarctica's Amundsen Sea suggest a runaway meltdown
EnvironmentMay 9, 2014
El Niño Looks More Likely for Summer, and with It Drought Relief for West
The El Niño climate pattern building in the Pacific Ocean is also characterized by warmer average global temperatures and fewer hurricanes
December 13, 2012
New Forecasts Could Help Transoceanic Flights Avoid Thunderstorms
Thunderstorms are well-monitored over land areas, but there is no similar radar system over the ocean. A new system can provide up to eight-hour forecasts that are updated hourly based on satellite data and weather models
EnvironmentDecember 7, 2012
Arctic Wildfire Soot Darkening Greenland Ice Sheet
Black carbon particles from smoke plumes in the Arctic have covered glaciers, a circumstance that increases heat absorption and contributes to melting