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Atmospheric Science

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 6-May-2026 19:16 ET (6-May-2026 23:16 GMT/UTC)

Aircraft measurements reveal surprisingly strong Southern Ocean biological productivity

National Center for Atmospheric Research/University Corporation for Atmospheric Research
Peer-Reviewed Publication

The biological productivity of the Southern Ocean in the summertime is substantially greater than many previous estimates have suggested, according to new airborne research.

Journal: Nature Geoscience

Baltimore emergency rooms see spike in asthma-related cases after night heat waves

Johns Hopkins University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Hospitals in Baltimore see an uptick in asthma-related emergency room cases in the weeks following nighttime heat waves in their neighboring communities. The findings suggest heat alert systems that rely on daytime temperature forecasts may need to be updated to be more helpful for people with asthma or other heat-sensitive health conditions.

Journal: GeoHealth

On the ground or in the atmosphere? New satellite data can help characterize and pinpoint destructive events

European Geosciences Union
Reports and Proceedings

Solar storms can quietly disrupt satellites, power grids, and communication systems across the globe. After a 2022 geomagnetic event knocked out dozens of Starlink satellites, the risks are no longer hypothetical. At EGU26, scientists unveil Swarm-AWARE, a new ESA project using satellite data and machine learning to distinguish space weather signals from natural hazards, paving the way for smarter forecasting and more resilient infrastructure.

Atmospheric systems control the transport of rainfall and nutrient from Africa to the Amazon

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Study indicates that events such as cold air masses in the Northern Hemisphere alter the transport of aerosols across the Atlantic that nourish forest soils. It was previously believed that this influence came from changes in wind direction.

Journal: Geophysical Research Letters
Funder: Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

Sharks may help improve climate forecasts, study finds

University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A new study published in the journal npj Climate and Atmospheric Science, shows that electronically tagged sharks can serve as mobile sensors, collecting ocean climate data in regions that are difficult to observe using conventional methods.

Journal: npj Climate and Atmospheric Science
Funder: Cisco Systems

AI falls short in predicting weather extremes

Université de Genève
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Record-breaking heatwaves, torrential rainfall and supercell thunderstorms: extreme events are intensifying under the influence of climate change, with major human and economic consequences. Artificial intelligence models are revolutionizing weather forecasting. But can they anticipate such exceptional events? A team from the University of Geneva (UNIGE) and the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) shows that, to date, traditional numerical models remain more reliable for predicting extreme phenomena, even though AI models outperform them under typical conditions. These findings are published in Science Advances.

Journal: Science Advances

New clinical trial shows vegan diet dramatically cuts food-related emissions—with major health benefits

Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine
Peer-Reviewed Publication

New research published in BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health found that a low-fat vegan diet reduced food-related greenhouse gas emissions by 57%—nearly three times more than a Mediterranean diet—while also improving key cardiometabolic outcomes.

Journal: BMJ Nutrition Prevention & Health

Plant-based diet cuts climate impact by more than half, randomized clinical trial shows

Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A study published in Current Developments in Nutrition shows that adopting a low-fat vegan diet reduces diet-related greenhouse gas emissions by 55% and cumulative energy demand by 44%—dramatic reductions achieved in just 12 weeks.

Journal: Current Developments in Nutrition

New study shows why rainfall remains hard to predict in a warming world

University of Oxford
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A new study led by the University of Oxford and ETH Zurich reveals that a key part of the climate system - the large-scale wind patterns that determine where rain falls – can be underestimated by current climate models, helping explain why forecasts of regional rainfall remain uncertain. Ultimately, this insight could enable more confident projections of future rainfall patterns, supporting better preparation for floods and droughts.

Journal: Nature

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