Global Warming- Is The Glass Half Full Or Half Empty For Solar Power?By Jackie RobertsGE and First Solar announced earlier this week an important step towards consolidation of the solar industry that will result in the loss of a new solar manufacturing facility in Colorado and, potentially 350 jobs. Clearly the announcement is frustrating for Colorado, a state we featured in EDF’s Clean Energy Economic Development Series, w […]
- Energy And Water Are Running Out In Texas, But It’s Not Too LateBy Kate ZerrennerThis post originally appeared on EDF's Energy Exchange blog. As we’ve highlighted in previous posts, water and energy regulators often make decisions in silos, despite the inherent connection between these two sectors. Texas is no exception. Two very important and intertwined events are happening in Texas right now. First, the state is […]
- Energy And Water Are Running Out In Texas, But It’s Not Too LateBy Kate ZerrennerAs we’ve highlighted in previous posts, water and energy regulators often make decisions in silos, despite the inherent connection between these two sectors. Texas is no exception. Two very important and intertwined events are happening in Texas right now. First, the state is in the midst of an energy crunch brought on by a dysfunctional ele […]
- Is The Glass Half Full Or Half Empty For Solar Power?
- State Of The Climate
- June 2013 National OverviewThe June average temperature for the contiguous U.S. was 70.4°F, 2.0°F above the 20th century average, and ranked as the 15th warmest such month on record. The nationally-averaged June precipitation total of 3.43 inches was 0.54 inch above the 20th century average, and was the 13th wettest June on record for the contiguous United States.
- June 2013 Global AnalysisThe combined average temperature over global land and ocean surfaces for June 2013 tied with 2006 as the fifth highest on record, at 0.64°C (1.15°F) above the 20th century average of 15.5°C (59.9°F). The global land surface temperature was 1.05°C (1.89°F) above the 20th century average of 13.3°C (55.9°F), marking the third warmest June on record. For the oce […]
- June 2013 DroughtAn unusually active jet stream for June sent weather systems propagating across much of the country, while high pressure ridging dominated over the Southwest. Weather systems moving in the jet stream flow moderated temperatures in the eastern U.S. and tapped Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic moisture to bring above-normal precipitation, especially to the Upper Mid […]
- June 2013 National Overview
- Global Climate Change – Vital Signs of the Planet – News RSS Feed
Human Induced Climate Change Experiment
- NOAA
- Atlantic hurricane season on track to be above-normal
- Report highlights climate change threats to nation’s estuaries
- Application to import 18 beluga whales for public display denied
- 2012 was one of the 10 warmest years on record globally
- Capt. Harris Halverson assumes command of NOAA Aircraft Operations Center in Tampa
- Air
- EPA Encourages the Public to Comment on Plan for Scorpio Recycling Superfund site in Toa Baja, Puerto Rico; $3 Million Project to Address Contaminated Land(New York, N.Y.) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has proposed a plan to address contaminated soil at the Scorpio Recycling Superfund site in Toa Baja, Puerto Rico. Previous metal recycling and battery crushing activities at the site resulted in contamination of the soil with lead and other metals. Lead is a toxic metal that can cause damage to a chi […]
- EPA Encourages the Public to Comment on Plan for Scorpio Recycling Superfund site in Toa Baja, Puerto Rico; $3 Million Project to Address Contaminated Land
- Water
- EPA Provides $260,000 to Improve Water Quality in Onondaga Lake and Beyond; Grants to Fund an Onondaga Lake Watershed Coordinator and Green Jobs Training Program(New York, N.Y.) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has awarded a total of $260,000 to two organizations for work that will improve water quality in Onondaga Lake and the Onondaga Lake watershed. The New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission (NEIWPCC) has used a $200,000 EPA grant to hire an Onondaga Lake Watershed Coordinator for a two […]
- EPA Provides $260,000 to Improve Water Quality in Onondaga Lake and Beyond; Grants to Fund an Onondaga Lake Watershed Coordinator and Green Jobs Training Program
- Ocean Temperatures
- Newport RIRecent Water Temperature: 70.3°F (21.3°C) Observation Date and Time: Fri, 09 Aug 2013 01:54:00 GMT […]
- Eagle Point, TXRecent Water Temperature: 82.0°F (27.8°C) Observation Date and Time: Fri, 09 Aug 2013 01:54:00 GMT […]
- Quonset Point RIRecent Water Temperature: 73.2°F (22.9°C) Observation Date and Time: Fri, 09 Aug 2013 01:54:00 GMT […]
- Newport RI
- Invasive Species
- Recipe for HLB-affected Citrus: Apply Heat -- Lots of It (Aug 5, 2013)Recipe for HLB-affected Citrus: Apply Heat -- Lots of It...
- Obama Administration Releases 2013 Asian Carp Control Strategy Framework (Jul 24, 2013)Obama Administration Releases 2013 Asian Carp Control Strategy Framework (Jul...
- Recipe for HLB-affected Citrus: Apply Heat -- Lots of It (Aug 5, 2013)
- Energy Research
- LHC discovers rare particle decayPhysicists have discovered [press release] a new particle decay that gives them an indirect way to test models of new physics.
- LHC discovers rare particle decay
- Energy Savers
- Could Your Home Benefit from a Small Wind Electric System?Could Your Home Benefit from a Small Wind Electric System? Consider whether a small wind electric system is right for you. […]
- Could Your Home Benefit from a Small Wind Electric System?
- Food And Drugs
- FDA approves first rapid diagnostic test to detect both HIV-1 antigen and HIV-1/2 antibodiesThe U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved the first rapid Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) test for the simultaneous detection of HIV-1 p24 antigen as well as antibodies to both HIV-1 and HIV-2 in human serum, plasma, and venous or fingerstick whole blood specimens. Approved for use as an aid in the diagnosis of HIV-1 and HIV-2 infection, the Al […]
- FDA approves first rapid diagnostic test to detect both HIV-1 antigen and HIV-1/2 antibodies
- Consumer Health
- Consumer Update AnalyticsThis page contains the most recent Consumer Update data available and links to past Consumer Update Analytics web pages.
- Consumer Update Analytics
Death Valley Too Hot To Handle
From NASA’s Earth Observatory
The heat wave that gripped the western United States in late June may have set an all-time record in Death Valley National Park, California. The air temperature rose to 129.2 °Fahrenheit (54 °Celsius) at the Furnace Creek Visitor’s Center on June 30, 2013, possibly breaking the all-time record high June temperature for the United States (set in Volcano, California, on June 23, 1902). A sharp bend in the jet stream trapped a strong ridge of high pressure over the western U.S., leading to an extreme heat wave and record temperatures.
The top image above shows the heat emanating from Death Valley on June 30, 2013. The measurement is surface temperature—how hot the land feels to the touch—as measured by the Thermal Infrared Sensor on the Landsat 8 satellite. The accompanying natural color view from the Operational Land Imager on Landsat 8 shows that the cooler areas are either higher in elevation or covered with plants. In fact, plants cooled Furnace Creek, the site of the record-high air temperature observation. Mesquite Flat and other nearby valleys radiated more heat.
The image also illustrates why Death Valley is one of the hottest places on Earth. The valley is low in elevation and sits between two high mountain ranges. As the image shows, few plants grow in the valley, so the rocks and soil absorb the summer heat. That heat radiates back to the atmosphere at night, but doesn’t get past the steep mountains. Instead, the air cools only slightly before sinking back to the valley. As it sinks, the change in pressure heats the air even more, generating hot winds. This means that the late-June heat wave had an even greater impact on Death Valley than surrounding regions.