News & Research Highlights

Climate simulations from multiple models indicate that future changes in the patterns and frequency of tropical cyclone genesis will largely be governed by human-induced changes in atmospheric circulation.

Prediction and Research Moored Array in the Tropical Atlantic (PIRATA) aims to improve predictability of ocean-atmosphere interactions in the tropical Atlantic. The PIRATA Northeast Extension (PNE) recently deployed buoys into the northeastern reachers of the tropical Atlantic Ocean. Follow the journey through this story map.

Seasonal predictions may be routine, “subseasonal” predictions are more difficult. The Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO), a large complex of tropical thunderstorms, dominates subseasonal phenomena over the tropics. A new global atmosphere-ocean-land-sea ice coupled climate model shows an average MJO prediction skill of 30 days, placing it among the world’s best MJO prediction models.

A new study finds that El Niño events will have greater amplitude and persistence in the second half of the 21st century, leading to increased global impacts on temperature and precipitation.

For the second year in a row, NOAA scientists observed a record annual increase in atmospheric levels of methane, a powerful, heat-trapping greenhouse gas that’s the second biggest contributor to human-caused global warming after carbon dioxide.

A 2021 Nature Geoscience paper argued that the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) started slowing in the 19th century, and slowed more in the mid-20th century. But a new Nature Geoscience paper suggests that AMOC changes are still uncertain.

A first-of-its-kind guidebook tells planners how to manage and mitigate urban heat. The new book covers urban heat islands and building urban heat resilience.

A new study suggests that fine particulate pollution over the Pacific Northwest could double to triple during late summer to fall by the end of this century under intermediate- and low-mitigation climate scenarios. Even with strong mitigation efforts, pollution in the western US may increase ~50 percent by mid-century during August and September.

Eight new postdoctoral fellows are commencing cutting-edge research projects that will contribute innovative climate science to the research community and to NOAA’s mission. These fellows are the new 2022-2024 class of NOAA Climate and Global Change (C&GC) Postdoctoral Fellows, supported by NOAA Climate Program Office (CPO) and selected by the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR).

For women’s history month, NOAA focuses a spotlight on climate modeler Elena Shevliakova.