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Climate news and stories

Climate.gov news and features

Drought.gov news

Heat.gov news and events

NOAA monthly climate call: Thursday, April 20

April 18, 2017

Experts recap March and provide outlooks through July for the U.S.

A collage of typical climate and weather-related events: heatwaves, drought, hurricanes, wildfires and changes in sea ice coverage.

Study: Parts of central and Southern California had worst 4-year dry spell in 450 years

April 10, 2017

The Enterprise Bridge passes over a section of Lake Oroville that was nearly dry on September 30, 2014, in Oroville, California. Lake Oroville, California's 2nd largest reservoir, was at 49% of average (30% of capacity), the second lowest level on record (behind 1977.) Heavy rains in December 2014 allowed lake levels to recover slightly--as of January 23, 2015 Lake Oroville was at its 7th lowest level of the past 35 years.

U.S. had 2nd warmest year to date and 9th warmest March on record

April 6, 2017

5 billion-dollar disasters in first 3 months of 2017 set new record

A warmer-than-normal winter in the Mid-Atlantic brought Washington, D.C.'s famed cherry blossoms to the brink of full bloom by mid-March, but then a cold snap hit and froze at least half the blossoms. The remaining Japanese Yoshino cherry blossoms reached peak on March 25, 2017. Pictured here is the Jefferson Memorial across the Tidal Basin, Washington, D.C., March 28, 2017.

A superbloom of wildflowers overtakes California's southeastern deserts

March 28, 2017

Wildflowers blooming in California's Anza Borrego Desert Park, March 12, 2017.

Map: The historical warmest and coldest 1st day of spring for thousands of U.S. locations

March 20, 2017

See the sliding version of this map that shows the warmest (left) and coldest (right) first day of spring (March 20) recorded at thousands of U.S. locations.

Earth had 2nd warmest February, season and year to date on record

March 17, 2017

Arctic and Antarctic sea ice extents were also record-low

A collage of typical climate and weather-related events: heatwaves, drought, hurricanes, wildfires and changes in sea ice coverage.

In the agricultural heartland of the NW Pacific, a water plan protects people and nature

March 8, 2017

Upper Yakima Canyon near Ellensburg, Washington.

U.S. had 2nd warmest February and 6th warmest winter on record

March 8, 2017

Unseasonable warmth spanned 39 states; Western drought improved

High water spills out of the Yolo flood bypass near Sacramento, February 23, 2017. California had its 2nd wettest winter on record, resulting in extensive flooding in many river valleys and record snowfall in mountain areas.

Late winter 'heatwave' hits the U.S. in February

March 1, 2017

Daytime high temperature on Feb. 24, 2017, based on NOAA RTMA data.

Unprecedented Arctic weather has scientists on edge

February 17, 2017

Sea ice on track for lowest maximum amount on record

This image, captured from the NASA DC-8 research aircraft on Jan. 29, 2017, shows unconsolidated sea ice off the coast of Barrow AK. Scientists monitoring the Arctic say this year has set records for minimum sea-ice extent during winter.

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