Greetings once again to one and all! Plenty of interesting topics to cover this week. In atmospheric science news, our changing climate is front and center and will be for many years as humanity grapples with the best path of adaptation. The coronavirus and Covid-19 situation is foremost on everyone’s mind with a world-wide pandemic that’s like nothing the world’s current population has ever seen. Additionally, the spring severe weather season is in full swing across the contiguous USA.. We’ve some tornado safety information and more with this week’s picks…so let’s get started.

• If you’re interested in citizen science and are looking for projects in weather and climate, check out the mPING project and help National Severe Storms Laboratory scientists collect weather data. The CoCoRaHS project is a citizen science endeavor that is well established. I’ve been an observer for many years. Your daily reports of precipitation, or lack of, is very important to long-term climate data records. The apps for mPING and CoCoRaHS are free and available for both iOS and Android.
• This is an excellent long-read that’s worth the time. “Why Weren’t We Ready For The Coronavirus?”
• A fascinating astronomy read on our planet’s only local companion. “The moon is emitting carbon, raising questions about how it was formed.”
• Microplastics are almost everywhere on our planet. Small and strange looking creatures in our oceans are even using them to make ‘shelters.’
• Scientists and the general public have taken note of the startling drop in air pollution and urban noise during the ongoing pandemic. “Rather than let this time be forgotten, the United Nations and environmental campaigners are urging governments to “build back better, to invest in the future not the past”, to ensure that our global recovery has sustainable legacy.“
• After consideration, this really makes perfectly good sense. “Forget the TP: Here’s what you really need to get through a disaster.”
• The pestilence of pseudoscience runs rampant among many science topics, including weather and climate. When it comes to COVID-19, it has taken on absolutely bizarre dimensions.
• A new state of the art NASA satellite has taken a good look at Greenland and Antarctica. The data doesn’t lie. Both are losing billions of tons of ice into the ocean each year and that contributes significantly to global sea-level rise.
• This new climate change study takes a look at how it affects the human habitat. “One billion people will live in insufferable heat within 50 years.”
• One of the biggest earth science stories as of late has been the opening of the ozone hole over the North Pole. New data shows that after nearly a month, that hole has now closed.

SEVERE WEATHER PREPAREDNESS

Here’s a concise reminder on taking shelter during a tornado warning. Where you take shelter is quite often a matter of life and death or serious injury.

An emergency kit is also an essential part of severe weather preparedness. This handy checklist from the American Red Cross will help you get started. Since severe weather and other weather-related disasters can occur year round, it’s an excellent idea to have this at the ready regardless of where you live or the month/season.

That’s a wrap for this post! I’d like to extend a warm welcome to my new followers in social media. I’m glad you’re along for the fun! If you’re on Twitter, Instagram, or Tumblr, so am I and I invite you to enjoy me. Once again I’d like to thank so many of you for all the thoughtful comments I’ve received as of late. Cancer does not have to be an automatic death sentence and I have no intention of giving up this fight and will accept nothing but absolute and total victory. If you’re a male over the age of 40, you should discuss getting your PSA tested with your doctor. The Prostate Cancer Foundation is an excellent website with further information. As for the coronavirus, please stay home if possible, practice good personal hygiene, mind your social distancing, stay safe, and stay healthy!

Cheers…Stay Healthy…and Good Luck!

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