Storm Damage Predictors See Bigger Risks Ahead
February 28 — After failing to predict how costly Hurricane Katrina would be last year, companies forecasting catastrophes are now saying U.S. damage from large storms will rise as much as 60 percent in some regions in coming years. (Reuters)

Under an 1815 Volcano Eruption, Remains of a 'Lost Kingdom'
February 28 — A series of volcanic eruptions that killed 117,000 people on the island of Sumbawa in the East Indies buried the tiny kingdom of Tambora under 10 feet of debris, with only 4 of its estimated 10,000 residents surviving. (The New York Times)

Professor Finishes Maine Bay Seaweed Study
February 28 — A University of New Hampshire plant biology professor has documented an abundance of invasive species of seaweed in Maine's Casco Bay that appear to be changing the ecosystem. (Associated Press)

Scientists Confirm Historic Massive Flood in Climate Change
February 28 — Scientists from NASA and Columbia University have used computer modeling to successfully reproduce an abrupt climate change that took place 8,200 years ago - the beginning of the current warm period sparked by a massive flood of freshwater into the North Atlantic Ocean. (PhysOrg.com)

Ocean Scientists Use Cruise Ships for Data
February 27 — Ocean scientists are enlisting cargo and cruise ships to measure water temperatures, ocean currents and even the height of clouds as the vessels ply their regular routes, in a program they hope will reveal some of the oceans' secrets. (Associated Press)

Southeast England Facing 'Serious Drought' over Continued Dry Spell
February 26 — Environmental officials say portions of England may be on the verge of its worst drought in the last 100 years, perhaps prompting water rationing. (AFP)

Cyprus Hit By Severe Sandstorm
February 25 — Cyprus was engulfed in an unusually severe sandstorm, sending people to hospitals with breathing problems and canceling flights from the Mediterranean holiday island. (Reuters)

Scientists Study Sound, Marine Creatures
February 24 — A team of scientists is studying how sound travels through the ocean, to better understand how loud, man-made noises might affect marine creatures. (Associated Press)

Winter Drought Fears for Wildlife
February 24 — Concern is growing for flora and fauna in some parts of the United Kingdom because rainfall levels are well below the average for winter months. (BBC)

New Madrid Preparedness a Priority
February 24 — Preparing for a catastrophic earthquake along the New Madrid fault is a priority, a government official said before a congressional field hearing on government readiness to handle natural disasters. (Associated Press)

Safety of Post-Hurricane Sludge is Disputed
February 23 — Floodwaters from Hurricane Katrina deposited arsenic, lead and petrochemical compounds across greater New Orleans in amounts that are potentially dangerous to human health, according to a new study that contradicts earlier reports. (The Washington Post)

Coral Reef Discovered Off Thailand Coast
February 22 — A coral reef spanning several hundred acres and teeming with fish has been discovered off the coast and should be given protected status, the World Wide Fund for Nature said. (Associated Press)

Pacific Islands Record Sea Level Rise
February 22 — Latest figures show that the sea level around the Pacific island of Tonga appears to have risen by about 10 centimeters in the past 13 years. (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Greenland Starts Quota to Save Polar Bears
February 22 — Greenland's government introduced the ice-capped island's first hunting quota for polar bears, which scientists believe are threatened by the effects of global warming. (Associated Press)

State of Wildlife Sites Improving
February 21 — Efforts to improve the condition of England's most important wildlife and geological sites appear to be paying off, a new report shows. (BBC)

Japan Launches Infrared Mapping Satellite
February 21 — Japan's space agency launched a satellite into orbit around the Earth, where it will map the sky using infrared wavelengths. (Associated Press)

Study Finds Permafrost Thawing Quickly
February 21 — A new study of the Arctic permafrost forecasts that global warming will thaw and shrink the total area of perennially frozen ground 60 to 90 percent by 2100. (Discovery.com)

El Nino May Affect Africa's Food Supply
February 21 — Climate change that strengthens the El Nino weather patterns could endanger food supplies for more than 20 million people in Africa, a new study warns. (Associated Press)

Report: Tsunami Reefs to Heal in 10 Years
February 20 — Most coral reefs escaped "serious damage" from the 2004 tsunami and should recover in less than 10 years, though much will depend on local governments protecting marine ecosystems, according to a new report. (Associated Press)

Concern over Soil Content as Levee Repairs Continue
February 19 — Critics of the Army Corps of Engineers say the sandy local dirt being used for levee construction in New Orleans is too weak and that not enough thick clay is being imported from Mississippi to strengthen it. (The New York Times)

Development Raises Flood Risk Across U.S.
February 18 — Intensified development in flood-prone parts of Missouri and California significantly raise the risk of New Orleans-style flooding in urban areas on the Mississippi and Sacramento rivers, researchers said. (Associated Press)

Earth 'On Fast Track' to Warming
February 18 — Greenhouse gases are being released 30 times faster than the rate of emissions that triggered a period of extreme global warming in the Earth's past. (BBC)

Springtime Means Sun, Flowers and Smog from Abroad
February 17 — Spring brings sun, flowers and longer days, and in the United States, it's also when more smog-making pollutants arrive after a long trek across the Pacific Ocean. (LiveScience.com)

Development May Spread Old Pesticides
February 17 — Development of former farmland can disturb pesticides spread nearly a century ago and contaminate nearby water sources, according to a study by researchers at Dartmouth College. (Associated Press)

Ancient Tree Possibly Found in Indiana
February 17 — large oak tree dug up last summer in a gravel pit could be 6,000 years old or more and might have been entombed by a glacier during the last ice age, scientists say. (Associated Press)

Greenland Glaciers Melting at Faster Rate
February 16 — Warmer temperatures over the past decade have sped up the march of Greenland's southern glaciers to the Atlantic Ocean, where the ice and water they spill contribute more to the global rise in sea levels than previously thought, scientists say. (Associated Press)

A Global Warning
February 16 — One U.S. scientist predicts that the effects of global warming will push sea levels around the world three feet higher in 100 years. (CBS)

Plants Raising River Levels
February 16 — A new investigation into why rivers worldwide are running higher has found an unlikely cause: less water use by plants. (Discovery.com)

Scarce Rains Raise Drought Fears in France, Spain
February 16 — Scarce rains are stirring fears of a repeat of last year's severe drought in France and Spain, with water reserves already low and falling, officials said. (Reuters)

NASA Satellite Technology Helps Fight Invasive Plant Species
February 15 — Products based on NASA Earth observations and a new Internet-based decision tool are providing information to help land and water managers combat tamarisk - an invasive plant species damaging precious water supplies in the western United States. (SpaceRef.com)

Florida Sees Record Manatee Deaths in January
February 15 — Manatee deaths jumped by a third in January compared with the same month last year, but exactly what killed half the animals remains unknown, state wildlife officials said. (Associated Press)

Scientists May Have Found New Fish Species
February 14 — Scientists have discovered what they believe is a new fish species and at least 20 types of previously unknown seaweeds during a recent expedition to one of the Caribbean's most diverse marine areas. (Associated Press)

Engineers Put Together a Model to Take Apart a Storm
February 14 — The Army Corps of Engineers is building a 13,000-square-foot model to recreate the conditions in Hurricane Katrina - only one part of a $20 million effort to study the effects of the storm, along with computer simulations, intensive data gathering and analysis. (The New York Times)

East Africa Drought Set to Continue to April
February 14 — East Africa is set to remain in the grip of drought until at least April, the World Meteorological Organization warned. (AFP)

Bald Eagle Closer to Coming Off List
February 13 — The American bald eagle, after battling back from the threat of extinction because of habitat loss and DDT, took another step toward coming off the endangered species list. (Associated Press)

New Yorkers' Workweek Clouds Air with Tiny Particles, Study Finds
February 13 — NASA researchers have detected for the first time in an American city a workweek pattern of tiny particles in the air called aerosols - believed to be generated by the comings and goings of people working in the city. (NASA Earth Observatory)

Northern China Wetlands Drying Up
February 12 — The wetlands along northern China's biggest river system are drying up because of the thirst of an expanding population and a fast-growing economy, Xinhua news agency reported. (Reuters)

Could Global Warming Become a Runaway Train?
February 12 — Scientists are worried about "feedback loops" - where rising temperatures on Earth might alter the environment in ways that create even more heat - a phenomenon many researchers believe is already underway in the Arctic. (ABC News)

Rare Frog Faces Extinction, Scientists Warn
February 11 — The mountain yellow-legged frog has survived for thousands of years in lakes and streams carved by glaciers - living up to nine months under snow and ice and then emerging to issue its raspy chorus across the Sierra Nevada range - but environmental conditions may now be threatening the creature's existence. (Associated Press)

Clouds Gather over Polluting Ships
February 11 — Exhaust fumes from ships are making clouds colder and brighter - and that makes it cooler and cloudier in heavy shipping areas. (New Scientist)

No Sign Mount Fuji to Erupt, But Japan Makes Plan
February 10 — Japan's government is expected to announce this month measures to deal with a possible eruption for of its famed Mount Fuji, officials said, but they added there were no signs that the long-dormant volcano had become active. (Reuters)

Greenland's Glaciers Are Slip-Sliding Away
February 10 — Two of the largest glaciers in eastern Greenland have both doubled their speed to the sea in the last two years, and the country's other glaciers may be following suit. (New Scientist)

Climate 'Warmest for Millennium'
February 10 — Of the past 1,200 years, the late 20th Century was the warmest widespread period in the Northern Hemisphere, according to a new study published in the journal Science. (BBC)

Panel: Drought May Bring Arizona Problems
February 10 — The lack of rain or snow across Arizona may be fueling a perfect storm in terms of dramatic drought, devastating wildfires and heavy groundwater demand, weather scientists and water specialists said. (Associated Press)

Are Skies Dimming over Earth?
February 9 — Researchers report that increasing pollution has reduced the amount of sunlight hitting the ground over China in the past 50 years. (Associated Press)

Greenhouse Gases Causing Irreparable Damage
February 9 — Australian scientists say global warming is already causing death and disease across the world through flooding, environmental destruction, heat waves and other extreme weather events - and warn it is likely to get worse. (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Less Snow in Rockies Slows Release of Carbon Dioxide Emissions
February 9 — Rising temperatures and a decline in the amount of snow in the Rocky Mountains have slowed the release of carbon dioxide, the main gas blamed for global warming, from forest soil, researchers said. (Reuters)

La Niña Conditions Expected to Continue
February 9 — The unusual La Niña climate conditions in the Pacific Ocean, which can affect the weather in many other areas, are likely to continue for three to six months, government forecasters said. (Associated Press)

U.S. Geological Survey to Study Fault Line
February 9 — The U.S. Geological Survey plans to use $2 million in proposed funding to study the southern San Andreas Fault in California, including a segment that has not ruptured in more than three centuries. (Associated Press)

Krakatoa Eruption Cooled the World
February 9 — When the Indonesian volcano Krakatoa erupted in 1883, sending 25 cubic kilometers of rock and ash into the air, it did more than generate the loudest sound ever recorded - it also cooled the world's oceans and suppressed rises in sea level for decades afterwards. (New Scientist)

2006 Was Earth's Fifth Warmest Year
February 9 — NASA climatologists have found that 2006 was the fifth warmest year in the past century. (USA Today)

2006 Was Earth's Fifth Warmest Year
February 9 — NASA climatologists have found that 2006 was the fifth warmest year in the past century. (USA Today)

Polar Bears May Get Endangered Status
February 8 — Amid concerns that global warming is melting away the icy habitats where polar bears live, the federal government is reviewing whether they should be considered a threatened species. (Associated Press)

Group Tests Toxin Levels of Bald Eagles
February 8 — A research group is conducting studies of bald eagles to determine the levels of environmental toxins in their systems and gain a better understanding of the overall health of the bird population. (Associated Press)

Grasses Helping Wheat Survive Climate Change
February 8 — Wild grasses that survive well in hot, dry places are helping create new drought-resistant wheat varieties, a study found. (Reuters)

Swiss Glaciers Retreat Again in 2005, Study Shows
February 8 — Glaciers in Switzerland again retreated last year, a study showed, in a sign global warming is taking its toll on one of the country's scenic features. (Reuters)

January Was America's Warmest on Record
February 7 — The country's average temperature for January 2006 was 39.5 degrees Fahrenheit, 8.5 degrees above average for the month, the National Climatic Data Center said, far beating the old record of 37.3 degrees set in 1953. (Associated Press)

Canada Unveils Park to Protect Grizzlies
February 7 — Canada unveiled a 16-million acre park, a protected area more than twice the size of Yellowstone, teeming with grizzly bears, wolves and wild salmon in the ancestral home of many native tribes. (Associated Press)

New Species Discovered in Indonesia Jungle
February 7 — Scientists exploring an isolated jungle in one of Indonesia's most remote provinces discovered dozens of new species of frogs, butterflies and plants as well as mammals hunted to near extinction elsewhere, members of the expedition said. (Associated Press)

China's Environmental Agency Says Disasters Must Be Reported within One Hour
February 7 — Environmental accidents must be reported within an hour after they are discovered, China's pollution watchdog said, citing the public's "right to know" following a spate of disasters. (Associated Press)

Federal Protection Sought for Florida Bears
February 6 — Conservation groups and an animal welfare group are suing to get the Florida black bear added to the federal list of endangered or threatened species. (Associated Press)

Scientists Warn of Melting Ice in Arctic
February 6 — Scientists painted a gloomy picture of the effects of global warming on the Arctic, warning of melting ocean ice, rising oceans, thawed permafrost and forests susceptible to bugs and fire. (Associated Press)

Satellites Detect Ash Cloud from Volcano
February 6 — A volcano in the Aleutian Islands coughed up an ash cloud, prompting the Alaska Volcano Observatory to raise the mountain's threat level to code red. (Associated Press)

Europe's Winter Death Toll Rises as Temperatures Fall Again
February 6 — Polish and Ukrainian authorities revised upward the human toll from the freezing weather that has gripped Eastern Europe since the beginning of the year as temperatures plummeted again. (AFP)

U.S. Gets a Failing Grade on Ocean Care
February 5 — A little more than a year after recommendations were issued on how to save the nation's waters, a non-governmental commission has issued the country a D+ on their efforts. (Nature)

Global Warming Threatens Tibet Rail Link
February 5 — Global warming could threaten the new Qinghai-Tibet Railway, the world's highest, within a decade, a Chinese researcher said. (Reuters)

Global Warming Boosting Greenland Glacier Flow
February 3 — Two major glaciers in Greenland have recently begun to flow and break up more quickly under the onslaught of global warming, a new study said, raising the specter of millions drowning from rising sea levels. (Reuters)

Sea Level Rise Accelerating
February 3 — Sea levels have been rising at an accelerating rate through the 19th and 20th centuries, said Australian climate scientists. (Discovery.com)

Climate Change Makes Russian Bears Aggressive: WWF
February 3 — Russians have shot three unusually aggressive polar bears so far this year, in what environmental group WWF said was a sign the bears' feeding patterns were being disrupted by global warming. (Reuters)

China Pledges to Do More to Protect Dwindling Wetlands
February 3 — China will boost investment in wetlands protection and put more wetland areas under state protection in an effort to save them from destruction, state media said. (Associated Press)

NASA Post-Hurricane Katrina Images Available On Google Earth
February 3 — Using Google Earth's software on the Internet, people can view the impact of Hurricane Katrina thanks to detailed images from NASA and the U.S. Geological Survey. (Science Daily)

Twisters Compound Damage in New Orleans
February 2 — Tornadoes tore through New Orleans neighborhoods that had been hit hard by Hurricane Katrina just five months earlier, collapsing at least one previously damaged house and battering the airport, authorities said. (Associated Press)

Government Revises Tornado Ratings Scale
February 2 — The government is changing how it categorizes tornadoes after finding that it doesn't take 300 mph winds to disintegrate homes and turn cars into missiles - a 200 mph twister can do just as much damage. (Associated Press)

Scientists Surf the Seas of Space to Catch an Atmospheric Wave
February 2 — A study by NASA and university scientists is shedding new light on a mysterious, cyclical wave in Earth's atmosphere that at times profoundly affects our planet's weather and climate. (Science Daily)

Experts See Cooling of Tropical Pacific Known As La Nina
February 2 — Climate experts confirmed the start of a mild cooling of the tropical Pacific Ocean known as La Nina, the opposite of El Nino. (Associated Press)

Washington Rainy Streak Good for Frogs
February 2 — Northern red-legged frogs and long-toed salamanders have been laying more eggs than usual since mid-January, apparently after chowing down on an abundance of snails, slugs and other delicacies washing into their lakes and ponds, said scientists. (Associated Press)

Normally a Big Chill, Canada Basks in Mild Winter
February 2 — Normally Canada's coldest large city each winter, Winnipeg enjoyed an average temperature of -7.4 degrees Celsius (18.7 degrees Fahrenheit) in January, the balmiest since the month's temperatures were first recorded in 1873, Environment Canada said. (Reuters)

Northern Reefs Next in Line for Bleaching
February 1 — Scientists say north Queensland reefs are next in line to be hit by coral bleaching as up to 90 per cent of corals around the Keppel Islands on the central coast are turning white. (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Arctic Permafrost Set to Disappear over Next Century
February 1 — Nearly 90 percent of the permafrost in Arctic soils could melt in the coming century and besides giving polar bears and reindeer wet feet, the run-off could alter ocean currents and accelerate global warming. (New Scientist)

Top Climatologist Forecasts Swift Ice Cap Collapse
February 1 — The Greenland ice cap could collapse many times faster than forecast, the U.S. government's top climate modeler has warned. (New Scientist)

2005: Strange Tornado Year
February 1 — 2005 was a weird year for tornadoes, said meteorologists - it's not that there were more of them; there were 233, which is well below the 10-year average of 274 - but 26 of these hit California, almost seven times the state's average. (Discovery.com)

Wolves May Drop Off Endangered List
February 1 — The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will issue a proposal to remove gray wolves in the northern Rockies from the Endangered Species List, a decade after they returned to the region. (USA Today)

Northern Reefs Next in Line for Bleaching
February 1 — Scientists say north Queensland reefs are next in line to be hit by coral bleaching as up to 90 per cent of corals around the Keppel Islands on the central coast are turning white. (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Arctic Permafrost Set to Disappear over Next Century
February 1 — Nearly 90 percent of the permafrost in Arctic soils could melt in the coming century and besides giving polar bears and reindeer wet feet, the run-off could alter ocean currents and accelerate global warming. (New Scientist)

Top Climatologist Forecasts Swift Ice Cap Collapse
February 1 — The Greenland ice cap could collapse many times faster than forecast, the U.S. government's top climate modeler has warned. (New Scientist)

2005: Strange Tornado Year
February 1 — 2005 was a weird year for tornadoes, said meteorologists - it's not that there were more of them; there were 233, which is well below the 10-year average of 274 - but 26 of these hit California, almost seven times the state's average. (Discovery.com)

Wolves May Drop Off Endangered List
February 1 — The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will issue a proposal to remove gray wolves in the northern Rockies from the Endangered Species List, a decade after they returned to the region. (USA Today)

Road Salt May Be Sickening Alaska Pigeons
February 1 — A federal biologist and some birders suspect salt on Juneau's roads and sidewalks may be affecting the health of local pigeons. (Associated Press)

Pigeons Get Backpacks for Air Pollution Monitoring
February 1 — A flock of pigeons fitted with mobile phone backpacks is to be used to monitor air pollution, New Scientist magazine reported. (Reuters)

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