NOAA scientists have documented a new impact of the increasingly thin blanket of Arctic sea ice: gases escaping from the thinner ice in spring are affecting air chemistry, reducing ground-level ozone, and likely increasing mercury contamination.
Climate Science 101: What is the Difference Between Weather and Climate?
February 15, 2012
Climate Science 101: Historical Perspectives on Climate Change
February 15, 2012
Missouri River Flooding 2011: Climate Sets the Stage
November 23, 2011
Two natural climate patterns, the Arctic Oscillation and the El Niño-Southern Oscillation, had strong influences on the patterns of unusually warm and unusually cool spots worldwide in early and late 2010.
Image highlights form the 2011 State of the Climate report.
Near the Earth’s equator, solar heating is intense year round. Converging trade winds and abundant water vapor all combine to produce a persistent belt of daily showers known as the Intertropical Convergence Zone.