Isabella O'Malley

Extreme heat in Mexico, Central America and parts of the U.S. South has left millions of people in sweltering temperatures, strained energy grids and resulted in iconic Howler monkeys in Mexico dropping dead from trees.

World News |
‘Heat dome’ leads to sweltering temperatures in Mexico, Central America and US South

May 23, 2024 at 7:41 p.m.

Extreme heat in Mexico, Central America and parts of the U.S. South has left millions of people in sweltering temperatures, strained energy grids and resulted in iconic Howler monkeys in...

Peer-reviewed report Climate Central says burning gasoline, coal, natural gas and other fossil fuels that release planet-warming gases like carbon dioxide, and other human activities, caused the unnatural warming from November 2022 to October 2023.

Environment |
Last 12 months on Earth were the hottest ever recorded, analysis finds

November 9, 2023 at 7:38 a.m.

Peer-reviewed report Climate Central says burning gasoline, coal, natural gas and other fossil fuels that release planet-warming gases like carbon dioxide, and other human activities, caused the unnatural warming from...

Climate change is increasing billion-dollar disasters, many of them from intensifying hurricanes. Some housing developers are building homes with an eye toward making them more resilient to such extreme weather, and friendlier to the environment at the same time. Buildings are major contributors to greenhouse gas emissions through the construction of the materials that go into them, like cement and steel, but also from the energy they use — especially if they're not efficient. Some builders say that a resilient home is a sustainable one. Solar panels, battery storage, higher-quality insulation, and even thoughtful landscaping and site management are all ways this new generation of homes is positioned for an increasingly warm and stormy world.

National News |
Some houses are being built to stand up to hurricanes and sharply cut emissions, too

November 5, 2023 at 11:54 p.m.

Climate change is increasing billion-dollar disasters, many of them from intensifying hurricanes. Some housing developers are building homes with an eye toward making them more resilient to such extreme weather,...

The term super fog describes fog enhanced by smoke from damp, smoldering organic material, according to the weather service. It can lower visibility to less than 10 feet (3 meters).

National News |
What is super fog? The mix of smoke and dense fog caused a deadly pileup in Louisiana

October 24, 2023 at 5:22 p.m.

The term super fog describes fog enhanced by smoke from damp, smoldering organic material, according to the weather service. It can lower visibility to less than 10 feet (3 meters).

A Dandelion Energy employee sprays excess groundwater back on the lawn during installation of a geothermal heat pump system at a home in White Plains, N.Y., Monday, May 8, 2023. A water-filled loop is installed several hundred feet deep in the yard to either carry heat away from or into the house depending on season. Industry experts see the technology becoming increasingly popular in the coming years.

Little-known but efficient, a different way to heat and cool your house

July 13, 2023 at 11:46 a.m.

More than one-third of all U.S. energy consumption, and thus a significant source of climate change, is from heating and cooling homes and buildings. Geothermal pumps are more efficient than...

Earth’s average temperature set a new unofficial record high on Thursday, the third such milestone in a week that already rated as the hottest on record. The planetary average hit 63 degrees Fahrenheit, surpassing the 62.9-degree mark set Tuesday and equaled Wednesday, according to data from a University of Maine tool that uses satellite data and computer simulations to measure the world’s condition. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has distanced itself from the calculations in part because they rely on modeling. But scientists say the daily drumbeat of records — official or not — is a symptom of a larger problem where the precise digits aren’t as important as what’s causing them.

Weather |
For the third time this week, Earth sets an unofficial heat record. What’s behind those big numbers?

July 7, 2023 at 3:48 p.m.

Earth’s average temperature set a new unofficial record high on Thursday, the third such milestone in a week that already rated as the hottest on record. The planetary average hit...

Scorching temperatures meteorologists say were brought on by a heat dome have taxed the Texas power grid and threaten to bring record highs to the state before they are expected to expand to other parts of the U.S. National Weather Service Forecaster Bob Oravec said Monday that the heat dome is expected to reach north to Kansas City and east to the Florida Panhandle and continue at least until the July Fourth holiday. The National Integrated Heat Health Information System reports more than 46 million people are under heat alerts. Texas State Climatologist John Nielsen-Gammon said the dome is not unusual because this is the time of year the atmospheric conditions combine to create such a threat.

Weather |
A heat wave in Texas is forecast to spread scorching temperatures to the north and east

June 27, 2023 at 3:40 p.m.

Scorching temperatures meteorologists say were brought on by a heat dome have taxed the Texas power grid and threaten to bring record highs to the state before they are expected...

All Stories