NPR's Sacha Pfeiffer talks with Emily Fischer, a professor of atmospheric science at Colorado State University, about the health effects of the smoke from the fires in Oregon and California. (NPR)
Given 23 named storms have formed already, CSU researcher Phil Klotzbach said the chances are good that 2020 will surpass 2005 for named storms but not for hurricanes and major hurricanes. (USA Today)
Emerging research is showing that the climate crisis will make storms move more slowly and higher temperatures will allow them to carry more water (National Geographic).
“This was probably the most extreme single summer month that we’ve ever seen in western Colorado,” said Russ Schumacher, Colorado’s state climatologist, noting that wildfires were also fueled by extreme dry conditions (Scientific American).
This roller coaster forecast was "truly something that I've never seen," says assistant state climatologist Becky Bolinger (KUNC/NPR).
According to hurricane historian Phil Klotzbach of Colorado State University, Laura tied for the fifth strongest hurricane to ever make landfall in the continental United States. (NASA)
A study led by CSU Department of Atmospheric Science researcher Charlotte DeMott, funded by NOAA, aims to bridge the gap between observations and models, improving the accuracy of climate projections.
"When you have warmer temperatures and you're lengthening the warm season, you're also lengthening the time when wildfires have a chance to start and grow," says Becky Bolinger, Colorado's assistant state climatologist (NPR).
States bordering the Atlantic Ocean or Gulf of Mexico face a greater risk this year of a hurricane strike, according to the forecast from CSU’s Department of Atmospheric Science (USA Today).
From 1981 to 2012, 70% of major Atlantic hurricanes – those reaching Category 3 or higher – have gone through rapid intensification.