The most active Atlantic hurricane season on record began two weeks ahead of schedule and ended on November 30, 2020. Overall, this season was one for the record books. There were 30 named storms (meaning storms where top winds were 39 miles per hour or greater instead of the average 12). Of those storms, 13 were hurricanes (top winds of 74 mph…

The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) has elected AOS Senior Meteorologist Isaac Held as an AAAS Fellow. Fellows are elected each year for their contributions to STEM disciplines, including pioneering research, leadership within a given field, teaching and mentoring, fostering…

The Earth system model documented in this study, ESM4.1, marks the culmination of GFDL’s 4th generation model development effort that included comprehensive revisions of atmospheric dynamics, physics and chemistry, ocean physics, biogeochemistry and ecosystems, sea ice, and land physics, biogeochemistry and ecosystems. These efforts were merged…

The National Weather Service has run out of letters for hurricanes in this record-breaking season, which is why tropical storms have started to sound like

Measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19 through non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) such as mask wearing and social distancing are a key tool in combatting the impact of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. These actions also have greatly reduced incidence of many other diseases, including influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

Hurricane Eta is the ninth named storm and fifth consecutive hurricane to rapidly intensify this year, a phenomenon that has doubled in proportion since 1982. Models indicate that climate change increases the…

On October 29, the National Science Foundation (NSF) announced a $53 million grant — shared among a consortium of the country’s top ocean research institutions — to build a global network of chemical and biological sensors that will monitor ocean health.

Scientists at Princeton University, Monterey Bay…

In a new study published in Nature Communications, the authors used multi-year observations from a very large array of robotic drifting floats in the Southern Ocean to determine key factors governing phytoplankton biomass dynamics over the annual cycle. Their…

Estuary and coastal ocean forecasts based on predictions of temperature, salinity, currents, and storm surge have been shown to be able to protect lives and property from storm surge, assist search and rescue operations, and protect public health. These forecasts enable predictions of harmful algal blooms and the dispersion of oil spills. Many…