News & Features

a series of maps of potential vorticity over the Arctic - one whole, two cut off

An early but interesting end to the 2024-25 polar vortex season

Polar Vortex Blog April 3, 2025

After spending much of the season with super strong wind speeds, the polar vortex bowed out two weeks ago, with the core west-to-east winds sliding off the pole. However, as it winds down for the season, the polar vortex still has a few tricks up its sleeve.

Featured

U.S. climate outlook for April 2025

Understanding Climate April 1, 2025

Winner or bust? Did La Niña shape North American precipitation this winter as expected?

ENSO Blog March 27, 2025

'Sunrise over Cholla' from the Art x Climate Gallery

Featured Images March 28, 2025

First signs of spring make their way northward across the U.S.

Event Tracker March 20, 2025

U.S. climate summary for February 2025

Featured Images March 13, 2025

What’s the hottest Earth’s ever been?

Climate Q&A February 26, 2025

See All News & Features

Blogs

An early but interesting end to the 2024-25 polar…

April 3, 2025

Winner or bust? Did La Niña shape North American…

March 27, 2025

March 2025 ENSO update: neutral conditions…

March 13, 2025
See All Blogs

Videos

Map of ozone hole over Antarctica at the 2024 maximum extent

Watch the Antarctic ozone hole develop in 2024

October 30, 2024
Screenshot of start of animation showing falling snow

U.S. Winter Outlook: Warmer, drier South with…

October 20, 2022
Spring Outlook 2021

Spring Outlook: Drought to persist, expand in U.S…

March 18, 2021
See All Videos

Event Tracker

First signs of spring make their way northward across the U.S.The weather and climate influences on the January 2025 fires around Los AngelesHistoric January 2025 snowstorm in the Southern U.S.Record-breaking lake effect snow arrives as winter startsSeveral Great Lakes experience record-warm water temperatures heading into winterUnusual fire risk across the Northeast in fall of 2024Drought expands in the East following exceptionally dry OctoberHurricane Helene’s extreme rainfall and catastrophic inland flooding2024 Antarctic sea ice winter maximum second lowest on recordHurricane Milton rapidly intensifies into Category 5 hurricane, becoming the Gulf's strongest late-season storm on recordHeat wave in Southern California and the Southwest in early September 2024West Virginia facing worst drought in at least two decadesExtreme rainfall brings catastrophic flooding to the Northeast in August 2024Four things to know about a possible Atlantic NiñaAtlantic Niña on the verge of developing. Here's why we should pay attention.2024 Glacial outburst flood near Juneau sets record for second year in a rowMulti-year drought and heat waves across Mexico in 2024Category 5 Hurricane Beryl makes explosive start to 2024 Atlantic seasonModels test potential influence of global warming on 2023 record-low Antarctic sea iceThe future of coral restoration in the Florida Keys after unprecedented marine heat wave of 2023How warm winters and low ice may impact the Great LakesClimate context of the February 2024 megafire outbreak in TexasAntarctic sea ice summer minimum ties for second-lowest on record in 2024Ice coverage nearly nonexistent across the Great Lakes, as the historical peak approachesPreliminary analysis says global warming more to blame than El Niño for Amazon’s ongoing record droughtEarly record-low Great Lakes ice coverage does not necessarily signal record-low final extent later in the seasonDrought parches the central Amazon in October 2023NOAA employs climate adaptation and resilience techniques to save Florida corals from this summer's record-long marine heat waveArctic sea ice minimum at sixth lowest extent on record in 20232023 Antarctic sea ice winter maximum is lowest on record by a wide marginFormer Hurricane Hilary brought Southern California its first-ever tropical storm watchMajor flood outburst from Mendenhall Glacier in Alaska not possible without climate changeNOAA and partners race to rescue remaining Florida corals from historic ocean heat waveAntarctic sea ice reaches an early winter record low in June 2023Extreme climate event in North Atlantic may have kicked off Sargassum explosion a decade agoMassive bloom of seaweed in tropical Atlantic raises the risk for Caribbean, Gulf, and Florida beach impacts in coming monthsDisrupted polar vortex brings sudden stratospheric warming in February 2023Atmospheric rivers take a chunk out of California droughtUnusually large, late melt spike on Greenland in September 2022La Niña, climate change, and bad luck: the climate context of Colorado’s Marshall FireWet, then dry extremes contributed to devastating Marshall Fire in ColoradoNOAA-led drought task force concludes current Southwest drought is a preview of coming attractionsA late-summer heatwave and rain at Greenland's summitWestern drought 2021 spotlight: ArizonaPreliminary analysis concludes Pacific Northwest heat wave was a 1,000-year event…hopefullyA foot of rain causes flash flood emergency in Louisiana during mid-May 2021Record-breaking June 2021 heatwave impacts the U.S. WestAstounding heat obliterates all-time records across the Pacific Northwest and Western Canada in June 2021Torrential spring rains lead to flash flooding around Nashville at end of March 2021Over a million acres burned in California in second half of August 2020A Colorado summer: Drought, wildfires and smoke in 2020Larger-than-average dead zone forecast for Gulf of Mexico in summer 2020Spring 2020 brings rare ozone “hole” to the ArcticCatastrophic wildfires in southeastern Australia in 2019-20Flash drought engulfs the U.S. Southeast in September 2019Europe's rogue heatwave melts GreenlandHigh temperatures smash all-time records in Alaska in early July 2019Heat wave broils the U.S. Southeast over Memorial Day weekend 2019River flooding inundates the Northern Plains in spring 2019Early March 2019 tornado outbreak ravages parts of U.S. SoutheastWild weather on the West Coast in February 2018Hot, dry summer and slow start to wet season primed California for November 2018 firesAlaska’s 2018 early fall extremesA hot, dry summer has led to drought in Europe in 2018A soggy summer for the Mid-Atlantic in 2018Harmful algal blooms linger in parts of southern Florida in July and August 2018Extreme overnight heat in California and the Great Basin in July 2018Strong winds whip up deadly wildfires in Greece in late July 2018Dust from the Sahara Desert stretches across the tropical Atlantic Ocean in late June/early July 2018Day Zero water shut-off deferred in Cape TownWildfires burn through southwestern Colorado in June 2018Alberto and Aletta become the first named storms of the 2018 hurricane seasonsTorrential rains bring epic flash floods in Maryland in late May 2018Tropical cyclone makes landfall in Somalia in May 2018Oklahoma tornado drought to start 2018Wildfires break out in Oklahoma in April 2018Onslaught of rain soaks CaliforniaFebruary 2018 heatwave across the Far NorthNor’easters pummel the U.S. Northeast in late winter 2018Record warmth in February 2018Winter so far has people out west asking, Where’s the snow?Day Zero approaches in Cape TownSeine River overflows in ParisWinter storm brings destructive mudslides to California in January 2018December wildfires scorch southern California in 2017Mount Agung erupts in Indonesia: Is it a climate event?Smog descends on India and Pakistan in mid-November 2017King tides cause flooding in Florida in fall 2017Water rationing in South Africa’s second-largest city after multi-year droughtFormer hurricane Ophelia batters IrelandClimate conditions behind deadly October 2017 wildfires in CaliforniaGreenland: A land of ice and...other stuffMassive fires burning across the West in September 2017Wildfire still burning in Greenland tundra in mid-August 2017First hurricane of the 2017 Atlantic season hits MexicoHeat wave scorches the Pacific NorthwestWildfires burn in British ColumbiaExceptional drought in Northern Plains in July 2017Monsoon causes deadly flash flood in ArizonaEarly summer heat wave in EuropeHot temperatures roast the western United StatesTorrential rains swamp southern Florida, make serious dent in droughtCyclone Mora hits vulnerable BangladeshTropical Storm Adrian kicks off the 2017 eastern Pacific hurricane seasonCyclone Donna churns in the South PacificHeavy rains in early May lead to flood emergency in MontréalTornados and blizzards. It's spring across the Great Plains!Spring drought conditions expand in FloridaClimate conditions aren’t solely to blame for current famine in AfricaSecond year of widespread bleaching underway on the Great Barrier ReefA superbloom of wildflowers overtakes California's southeastern deserts in March 2017Late winter wildfires burn through Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas in March 2017Heavy summer rains flood PeruFebruary’s Storm Doris weather bombs Great BritainFlooding concerns at Oroville Dam as water levels reach capacityJanuary 2017 brings the heat down under in AustraliaSoaking rains and massive snows pile up in California in January 2017Scientists link to toxic algal blooms along U.S. West Coast to warm waters in the PacificThe paradox of lake effect snow: global warming could bring the Great Lakes more of it, at least for a whileLake effect snow buries parts of the Great Lakes in December 2016Deadly, record-breaking hurricane hits Central America in NovemberThe mid-October windstorm in the Pacific NorthwestRecord-breaking hurricane Matthew causes devastationHow can we call something a thousand-year storm if we don’t have a thousand years of climate observations?Northwest Passage clear of ice again in 2016Arctic sea ice ties for second lowest in 2016Global warming increased risk, intensity of Louisiana's extreme rain eventMajor Hurricanes Madeline and Lester poised to give Hawaii a close callAugust 2016 extreme rain and floods along the Gulf Coast2016 eastern Pacific hurricane season makes up for lost timeNew Eastern Hemisphere heat record? The detective work behind world record weather'Thousand-year' downpour led to deadly West Virginia floodsScorching heat bakes the Southwest in mid-June 2016 - Part twoScorching heat bakes the Southwest in mid-June 2016Atmospheric ‘Groundhog Day’ behind flooding in France and GermanyWill the Great Barrier Reef recover?April 2016 snow cover did no favors for Fort McMurray fireClimate connections to Fort McMurray fireGreat Barrier Reef suffers through record-breaking bleaching eventGreenland melt season off to very early start"Maya Express" behind Gulf Coast soakingWhere, oh where, has Alaska’s winter gone?Huge waves means it’s time to surf in Hawai’iTropical Cyclone Winston causes devastation in Fiji, a tropical paradiseA not so rainy season: Drought in southern Africa in January 2016In case you missed it, there was an Atlantic hurricane in JanuaryRains return to California to start 2016California closes Dungeness and razor clam fisheries due to algal toxinAn upper-level low does a box step over US Southwest, brings flooding to Southern CaliforniaThousand-year deluge in South CarolinaSurvey photos reveal damage of this year’s global coral bleaching eventThis summer’s West Coast algal bloom was unusual. What would usual look like?Wait, a hurricane formed where in the Atlantic?Central Pacific hurricane party: three’s companyStay out of the scum, warns NOAA’s latest bulletin on Lake Erie’s Harmful Algal BloomLate July’s stupefying heat indexes in southwest IranRecord-setting bloom of toxic algae in North PacificRecord-breaking algal bloom expands across the North PacificA wet several days for southern CaliforniaWildfires burn up western North AmericaSummer heat wave arrives in EuropeHyperactive start to eastern Pacific hurricane seasonIndia heat wave kills thousandsFlood disaster in Texas and OklahomaAlaska sets new record for earliest day with temperatures in the 90sDeluge inundates Oklahoma City with third-wettest day in its historyFlooding in the Atacama Desert: How did that happen?Flooding in Chile’s Atacama Desert after years’ worth of rain in one dayQuiet March in Tornado AlleyTwin tropical cyclones in western Pacific“Winter” in AlaskaIt's supposed to be the rainy season in Brazil, so where has all the water gone?Winter can’t quite quit New England, won’t give the West a second glanceSoutheastern Africa’s monsoon goes from dry to delugeSoutheastern Africa's topsy-turvy monsoonFor Malaysia and Thailand, monsoon plus MJO equals disasterDevastating monsoon flooding from Sri Lanka to northwest AustraliaIt poured in California in December. Can we stop talking about the drought?Record September warmth for Alaska maritime locationsRising atmospheric moisture from global warming not to blame for 2013 Colorado floodU.S. temperature extremes and the polar jet streamRecord-breaking rain in ArizonaSpring climate plays major role in Lake Erie algae blooms2014 temperature extremes: U.S. runs hot and coldGroundwater: California’s big unknownFor southeastern Colorado, dry times may persist into summerWinter storms bring only fleeting relief to drought-stricken CaliforniaGreat Lakes ice cover most extensive since mid-90sDespite Fall Floods, Drought Persists in Southeastern ColoradoJanuary precipitation deficits keep California drought outlook grimCalifornia Facing Worst Drought on RecordHow unusual were the Antarctic sea ice conditions that trapped a research ship on Christmas Eve 2013?How is the polar vortex related to the Arctic Oscillation?Polar vortex brings cold here and there, but not everywhereWobbly polar vortex triggers extreme cold air outbreakOctober More Like Summer Than Fall in AlaskaAlaska having September's Climate in OctoberHistoric Rainfall and Floods in ColoradoDoes the August Lull in Atlantic Hurricane Activity Mean We Won't be Having an Active Season?New Record Temperature in Southwest Greenland?Heat hammers Europe in July and AugustArrival of monsoon eases India droughtArctic Sea Ice Breaks 2007 Record LowLate monsoon leads to drought in IndiaMarch 2011 Ice Extent Second Lowest on RecordWinter Temperatures Influenced by North Atlantic Oscillation, La NiñaInfluence of El Niño and La Niña on Southwest RainfallAnother Wintry Winter for the Eastern U.S.Early wet season deluge in AustraliaDry Winter in U.S. Southeast
Leaflet Tiles © Esri
See All Events

Featured Images

View All Featured Images

NOAA NEWS & RESEARCH

New study demonstrates the impacts of multiple…

March 29, 2025

Five ways NOAA research is making your life…

March 25, 2025

Injecting light-reflecting particles into the…

March 25, 2025
See All NOAA News & Research

Special Collections

El Niño & La Niña images

Image of El Niño & La Niña images

Commonly requested images related to El Niño and La Niña

Browse collection

Data Snapshots

Image of Data Snapshots

Maps of U.S. and global climate for print and presentation

Browse collection

Arctic Report Card

Image of Arctic Report Card

Stories and graphics from NOAA's 2020 Arctic Report Card

Browse collection

Climate Dashboard

Image of Climate Dashboard

Tracking natural and human-caused climate change

Browse collection

Most Popular

Features

News & Features Featured Image - In the agricultural heartland of the Northwest Pacific, a water plan that protects people and nature

In the agricultural heartland of the Northwest Pacific, a water plan that protects people and nature

U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit March 7, 2017

After facing 5 years of drought in 15 years, partners in Washington's Yakima River Basin developed a new water plan that aims to make farms, fish, and families in the region more resilient to climate variability and change.

View All Features

Climate Tech

Promo Image for Climate Tech

Landmark buoys across the tropical Pacific Ocean get a makeover

April 11, 2023

Meet 5 NOAA buoys that help scientists understand our weather, climate, and ocean health

June 3, 2021

Adaptable and driven by renewable energy, saildrones voyage into remote waters

May 16, 2018
Explore more

Climate and ...

Promo Image for Climate and ...

Climate & French fries

November 19, 2020

Climate & skiing

November 19, 2018

Climate & allergies

June 7, 2018
Explore more

Understanding Climate

Promo Image for Understanding Climate

U.S. climate outlook for April 2025

April 1, 2025

U.S. climate outlook for March 2025

March 3, 2025

U.S. climate outlook for February 2025

February 3, 2025
Explore more

Climate Q&A

Promo Image for Climate Q&A

Does it matter how much the United States reduces its carbon dioxide emissions if China doesn’t do the same?

August 30, 2023

¿Por qué fiarnos de las proyecciones climáticas que hacen los científicos para dentro de 50 o 100 años cuando no se puede pronosticar con precisión el tiempo que hará dentro de más de 2 semanas?

July 13, 2022

What's the coldest the Earth's ever been?

February 18, 2021
Explore more

Climate Case Studies

Promo Image for Climate Case Studies

Building climate and coastal resilience in the OBX

May 21, 2019

The Karuk’s relationship with fire: Adapting to climate change on the Klamath

November 28, 2018

Where Do We Need Shade? Mapping Urban Heat Islands in Richmond, Virginia

August 28, 2018
Explore more

Decision Makers Take 5

Promo Image for Decision Makers Take 5

Ron Bartel explains the roots of sod-based crop resilience

October 27, 2014

Brian Swett discusses Boston’s climate future

July 30, 2014

Jacqueline Kozak Thiel talks about Hawaii’s sustainability efforts and preparing the island chain for climate change

July 1, 2014
Explore more

Decision Maker's Toolbox

Promo Image for Decision Maker's Toolbox

New Drought.gov a one-stop NOAA resource for all things drought

January 20, 2021

A new NOAA tool is helping to predict U.S. droughts, global famine

January 4, 2018

Water Resources Dashboard

March 22, 2016
Explore more

Features

Promo Image for Features

How my job as a family doctor allows me to help my community face the climate crisis

October 29, 2024

U.S. climate summary for June 2024

July 11, 2024

Women’s History Month: early women in Earth and climate science

April 3, 2024
Explore more