A saildrone observed the growth and decay of a bloom of ocean plants in the Alaskan Arctic in late summer 2017. Such blooms affect the rate of regional ocean acidification, which occurs as surface waters absorb human-produced carbon dioxide.
A dry winter set the stage for widespread and severe drought across the Southwest and Southern Plains.
December wildfires scorch southern California in 2017
December 15, 2017
Wildfires burn in British Columbia
July 31, 2017
Springtime melting and retreating sea ice allowed more sunlight to reach the upper layers of the ocean, stimulating widespread blooms of algae and other tiny marine plants which form the base of the marine food chain: a sign of the rapid changes occurring in a warming Arctic.
The oyster hatchery industry on the U.S. West Coast nearly collapsed when they were caught off guard by increasing acidity in the coastal waters. In Maine, an oyster grower is testing whether new NOAA-funded technology can prevent a repeat on the East Coast.
Warming sea surface temperatures from climate change are pushing populations of the American Lobster (Homarus americanus) farther north than ever before.
Trees within a city can help reduce urban heat, control stormwater, and provide habitat to local wildlife. As climate conditions change, a Chicago group is working to enhance the reilience of the city's urban forest.