PMEL in the News
Cook Inlet Gas Leak Remains Unmonitored as Danger to Marine Life Is Feared
As the underwater methane leak in Cook Inlet, Alaska continues well into its third month, even basic environmental monitoring has been impossible because of ice cover. The ice also prevents any repair to the pipeline or response to the leak.
It's not your imagination – winter's been colder than normal
By one measurement, winter in Washington state is the coldest in the lower 48. That measurement is based on how far below normal we are, ranging from 4 degrees Fahrenheit colder in Western Washington to as much as 8 to 10 degrees colder in the southeastern quarter of the state.
A big plus for this winter: A plentiful snowpack
Think of the snowpack as a giant reservoir. And this year, it's filled to the brim. "We haven't had a winter like this for a while," said Nick Bond, the state climatologist. Bond said the benefits of a healthy snowpack are many: more water for farmers in Eastern Washington, more hydro power for everyone, colder water for trout and salmon and possibility less of a chance of wildfires.
Snow lengthens school year, but it was a typical winter
There is a joke among parents that their kids will still be going to school in July. After tagging on two make-up snow days to the end of the school year, students in Edmonds won’t be released for summer break until June 27. Many are crossing their fingers that spring is on the way.
Scientists just measured a rapid growth in acidity in the Arctic ocean, linked to climate change
The Arctic is suffering so many consequences related to climate change, it’s hard to know where to begin anymore. It’s warming more rapidly than almost any other part of the planet; its glaciers are melting and its sea ice is retreating; and its most iconic wildlife, including polar bears and walruses, are suffering.