In front of the United States Geological Survey (USGS) national headquarters building in Reston, Va., two genetically identical lilac bushes are rooted in the earth. To casual observers, they are fragrant adornments to the landscaped property. But to ecologist Jake Weltzin and geographer John Jones—USGS scientists who study plant and animal life-cycle events—they are “Li” and “Lac,” two small but important pieces of a developing climate change indicator system.
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Aug 15, 2012Physical Climate, Observations, Extreme Events
The average global temperature for July 2012 was more than 1Fahrenheit above the 20th-century average, making it the fourth warmest July since record keeping began in 1880.
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Aug 9, 2012Physical Climate, Observations, Extreme Events
According to the latest statistics from NOAA's National Climatic Data Center, the average temperature for the contiguous United States during July was 77.6F, which is 3.3F above the 20th-century average.
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Jul 25, 2012Observations, International, Arctic
For several days this month, Greenland's surface ice cover melted over a larger area than at any time in more than 30 years of satellite observations.
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Jul 5, 2012Physical Climate, Observations, Modeling, Mitigation, Indicators, Adaptation
A new funding opportunity solicits contributions to enhance the use of NASA's observation and modeling products in future NCAs by encouraging the developing and testing of potential climate change indicators.
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Jun 25, 2012Oceans, Observations, Modeling, Coasts
Rates of sea level rise are increasing three-to-four times faster along portions of the U.S. Atlantic Coast than globally, according to a new U.S. Geological Survey report published in Nature Climate Change .
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Jun 7, 2012Physical Climate, Observations, Extreme Events
The national temperature of 57.1 degrees F during spring was 5.2 degrees F above the long-term average, besting the previous warmest spring of 1910 by 2.0 degrees F.
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Jun 1, 2012Physical Climate, Observations, Carbon Cycle, Arctic
The concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere of Barrow, Alaska, reached 400 parts per million (ppm) this spring, according to NOAA measurements, the first time a monthly average measurement for the greenhouse gas attained the 400 ppm mark in a remote location.
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May 1, 2012Observations, Ecosystems & Biodiversity, Extreme Events
Featured on USDA , a member of the U.S. Global Change Research Program The Forest Service recently unveiled a product that helps natural resource managers rapidly detect, identify and respond to unexpected changes in the nation's forests by using web-based tools. The satellite-based monitoring and assessment tool aptly called ForWarn , recognizes
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Apr 18, 2012Physical Climate, Observations, Water Resources, Human Health, Extreme Events
Last week the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) released temperature data showing that, in the contiguous United States, March 2012 was warmer than any other March on record.