“Virtual Rains” Herald New Era of Climate Forecasts
January 25 — Forecasting real world, short-term climate trends may soon be possible, thanks to new tools being developed by NASA. Oceanographer David Adamec and a team of scientists are using satellite measurements and conventional temperature readings of the oceans to drive an advanced computer simulation depicting seasonal to annual changes in the land and atmosphere. More

Earth’s Invisible Magnetic Tail Revealed
January 25 — The first large-scale pictures of the hidden machinations of Earth’s magnetic force field were captured by the IMAGE spacecraft. The new imaging technology offers unprecedented views of the transparent, electrified gas trapped within Earth's magnetic field, providing the first visual, global perspective on magnetic storms. More

Earlier Signal of El Niño Seen in Rainfall Shift
January 18 — A decrease in rainfall over the Indian Ocean may give the world the earliest signal that a strong El Niño is about to start. More

Warmer Summers Trigger Ice Shelf Collapse
January 16 — Warmer surface temperatures over summer months in the Antarctic can splinter an ice shelf and prime it for a major collapse. The added pressure from surface water filling crevasses can crack the ice entirely through. More

More El Niños May Mean More Rainfall Extremes
January 16 — The world can expect more months with unusually high or low rainfall if El Niños and La Niñas increase. Researchers have noted a higher frequency of these major events over the last 21 years. More

Eastern United States Bucks Warming Trend
January 15 — Researchers show why the eastern half of the United States has shown a cooling trend. New climate model results indicate that these cooler temperatures are caused by an increase in sun-shielding clouds produced by warmer ocean temperatures in the Pacific. More

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