US Predicts Bumper Crops Will Ease Food Crisis Farmers worldwide will reap record-breaking harvests of wheat and rice this year, the US projects, and the news is expected to ease some of the worldwide concern about food prices. The USDA says good weather will bring bumper crops that will replenish depleted stocks, Reuters reports. Analysts warned, however, that prices will remain high for some time and that the world's poor will still need food aid.

World 'Knew' About Cyclone, Expert Says Burma says it warned its people of Cyclone Nargis 5 days before landfall, when it learned of the storm over news wires-but one expert believes Burma's media outlets were too primitive to spread the message. With Burma's death toll as high as 100,000, Newsweek talked to a global weather analyst about the warning that failed to reach Burma's people.

Myanmar Facing Risk of Another Big Storm Weather experts say Myanmar could face another big cyclone this season.

Sea changes could warn of Day After Tomorrow scenario In the movie, the world froze when the "ocean conveyor belt" turned off - now scientists say they could forecast any slowdown of the crucial current

Burma cyclone was forecast four days in advance The path of the Burma cyclone was accurately predicted four days before it made landfall, but the warning did not reach the people on the ground

The Weekend SkyWatcher's Forecast: May 9-11, 2008 Greetings, fellow SkyWatchers! Are you ready for a very incredible weekend? The action begins on Friday as we take you on a guided tour of the lunar surface. On Saturday, celebrate Astronomy Day with a very special unaided eye sky event and a return to the Moon. No rest for the [...]

Another Olympic contest -- weather forecasting Meteorologists may not always feel appreciated, but at the Beijing Olympics at least they will have their own contest.

76-teraflop Supercomputer Installed For Critical Research On Climate Change, Severe Weather The National Center for Atmospheric Research has taken delivery of a new IBM supercomputer that will advance research into severe weather and the future of Earth's climate. The supercomputer, known as a Power 575 Hydro- Cluster, is the first in a highly energy-efficient class of machines to be shipped anywhere in the world.

NCAR installs 76-teraflop supercomputer for critical research on climate change, severe weather The National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) has taken delivery of a new IBM supercomputer that will advance research into severe weather and the future of Earth's climate. The supercomputer, known as a Power 575 Hydro-Cluster, is the first in a highly energy-efficient class of machines to be shipped anywhere in the world.

Great tits enjoying the warmer weather - so far The wild bird has shown great flexibility to adjust breeding patterns to match higher temperatures in the UK, but more warming could start to kill it off

Climate Change Imperils Koalas Koalas' fussy eating habits put them at special risk from global warming, the Sydney Morning Herald reports. Hotter weather makes eucalyptus leaves-the animals' only food source-lower in nutrients and higher in toxic chemicals than they once were. The change could force koalas out of areas of their already dwindling habitat, Australian researchers warn.

Updated version of GAIM model goes operational An updated version of the Global Assimilation of Ionospheric Measurements (GAIM) model went operational at the Air Force Weather Agency (AFWA) on February 22, 2008. The operational GAIM program has been under development since 1999 by the U.S. Department of Defense and is managed by the Naval Research Laboratory`s (NRL) Space Science Division. This new version of GAIM is capable of ingesting ultraviolet (UV) data sets from DMSP satellites.

Three-in-Five Chance Of Record Low Arctic Sea Ice In 2008, According to New Forecast New calculations indicate the record low minimum extent of sea ice across the Arctic last September has a three-in-five chance of being shattered again in 2008 because of continued warming temperatures and a preponderance of younger, thinner ice. Warming temperatures, preponderance of young, thin ice drives prediction.

Don't Spoil a Good Picnic Ants and bad weather aren`t the only things that can ruin a picnic. When food gets too hot or too cold, the chances of contamination and food-borne illness increase. Taking a few preventative measures when dining outdoors can reduce the risk of food poisoning greatly.

In a New Climate Model, Short-Term Cooling in a Warmer World Climatologists will create decade-long climate forecasts, just as meteorologists craft weeklong weather forecasts.

'4-D' ionosphere map helps flyers, soldiers, ham radio operators Today, at the Space Weather Workshop in Boulder, Colo., NASA-funded researchers released to the general public a new "4D" live model of Earth`s ionosphere. Without leaving home, anyone can fly through the dynamic layer of ionized gases that encircles Earth at the edge of space itself. All that`s required is a connection to the Internet. Airline flight controllers can use this tool to plan long-distance business flights over the poles, saving money and time for flyers.

CU-Boulder researchers forecast 3-in-5 chance of record low Arctic sea ice in 2008 New University of Colorado at Boulder calculations indicate the record low minimum extent of sea ice across the Arctic last September has a three-in-five chance of being shattered again in 2008 because of continued warming temperatures and a preponderance of younger, thinner ice.

NASA Satellite To Map Earth's Water Cycle A new NASA satellite mission will make global soil moisture and other measurements essential to the accuracy of weather forecasts and predictions of global carbon cycle and climate. At present, scientists have no network for gathering soil moisture data as they do for rainfall, winds, humidity and temperature. SMAP will change that.

Significant 'Red Tide' Season Predicted For 2008 Based On Computer Models And Observations Conditions are ripe for another large red tide bloom in New England waters; weather and current patterns will determine outcome. The end of April usually brings the first signs of harmful algae in New England waters, and this year, researchers are preparing for the worst.

Pathway found that lets mosquitoes fatten up, slow down for winter Two genes that help insulin regulate mosquitoes` growth have been identified as key contributors to how the insects enter a dormant state to survive winter`s cold. The research finding broadens the understanding of the mosquito life cycle and appears to shed some light on how other insects and invertebrate species weather the winter months.

Weather control claims put to the test Despite a history of unproven techniques, better ways to track weather patterns now make it possible to properly test schemes for making and diverting rain

Weather Modification Comes of Age The practice of cloud seeding is on the road from science fiction to fact.

Arctic Ice More Vulnerable to Sunny Weather The shrinking expanse of Arctic sea ice is increasingly vulnerable to summer sunshine, new research concludes. The study finds that unusually sunny weather contributed to last summer's record loss of Arctic ice, while similar weather conditions in past summers do not appear to have had comparable impacts. read more

Arctic ice more vulnerable to sunny weather, new study shows The shrinking expanse of Arctic sea ice is increasingly vulnerable to summer sunshine, new research concludes. The study, by scientists at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) and Colorado State University (CSU), finds that unusually sunny weather contributed to last summer's record loss of Arctic ice, while similar weather conditions in past summers do not appear to have had comparable impacts.

'Father of Chaos Theory' Dead at 90 The MIT scientist whose pioneering of chaos theory revolutionized science, has died at the age of 90, MIT News reports. Meteorologist Edward Lorenz came up with the concept of chaos theory after meticulously analyzing weather data and discovering microscopic differences could have huge effects, leading to his paper "Predictability: Does the Flap of a Butterfly's Wings in Brazil Set Off a Tornado in Texas?"

Edward N. Lorenz, a Meteorologist and a Father of Chaos Theory, Dies at 90 Dr. Lorenz was a meteorologist who tried to predict the weather with computers but instead gave rise to the modern field of chaos theory.

Changing jet streams may alter paths of storms and hurricanes The Earth`s jet streams, the high-altitude bands of fast winds that strongly influence the paths of storms and other weather systems, are shifting-possibly in response to global warming. Scientists at the Carnegie Institution determined that over a 23-year span from 1979 to 2001 the jet streams in both hemispheres have risen in altitude and shifted toward the poles.

Forecast for the heart of Mercury Falling iron 'snow' may drive the planet's magnetic field.

Forecast for big sea level rise Sea levels could rise by up to one-and-a-half metres by the end of this century, according to scientific analysis.

Universe Today Exclusive - Cygnus Nova V2491 Revealed for Readers Clouds got you down? No chance of seeing V2491 Cyg because of the weather? Are you sleeping when Cygnus is up? One of the most beautiful facets of having an astronomer around is being able to share information with other observatories around the world and put them to work. This time [...]

Giant quake will trash Los Angeles, say forecasters Southern Californians braced for higher insurance premiums as first quake forecast suggests huge temblor is almost inevitable

Forecast: Big Earthquake Likely To Hit California In 2037 A powerful catastrophic earthquake capable of causing widespread destruction is almost certain to hit California within the next 30 years, scientists said Monday.

A New Forecast of California Earthquakes The 2007 Working Group on California Earthquake Probabilities (WGCEP 2007), a multi-disciplinary collaboration of scientists and engineers, has released the Uniform California Earthquake Rupture Forecast (UCERF)-the first comprehensive framework for comparing earthquake likelihoods throughout all of California. It provides important new information for improving seismic safety engineering, revising building codes, setting insurance rates, and helping communities prepare for inevitable future earthquakes. read more

Big Quake "Guaranteed" to Hit California by 2037 The first statewide temblor forecast calculates a 99.7 percent chance that a magnitude 6.7 quake or larger will strike the state in the next 30 years.

Big Quake to Rock Calif. by 2037 A new forecast predicts a large earthquake will shake California in the next 30 years.

'Well Above-average' Hurricane Season Forecast For 2008 The Colorado State University forecast team upgraded its early season forecast saying the U.S. Atlantic basin will likely experience a well above-average hurricane season. The team's forecast now anticipates 15 named storms forming in the Atlantic basin between June 1 and Nov. 30. Eight of the storms are predicted to become hurricanes, and of those eight, four are expected to develop into intense or major hurricanes (Saffir/Simpson category 3-4-5) with sustained winds of 111 mph or greater. Long-term averages are 9.6 named storms, 5.9 hurricanes and 2.3 intense hurricanes per year.

April Weather Brings More Contrails Analysis of jet contrails finds that conditions in April and October favor the markings.

Harmful Algae Takes Advantage Of Global Warming: More Algae Blooms Expected You know that green scum creeping across the surface of your local public water reservoir? Or maybe it's choking out a favorite fishing spot or livestock watering hole. It's probably cyanobacteria -- blue-green algae -- and, according to an article in Science, relishes the weather extremes that accompany global warming.

Tornado Hits Arksansas; Storms Lash Other U.S. States "I thought I was going to die," said an Arkansas man struck by the twister-part of a weather system that stretched from Texas to New England.

Spring Flooding In Mid-Western US Forecast, But People Still Build On Floodplains Midwesterners have to be wondering: Will April be the cruelest month? Patterns in the Midwest this spring are eerily reminiscent of 1993 and 1994, back-to-back years of serious flooding. Despite the similarity, and periods of flooding nearly every year after those flood years, one thing Midwesterners have not learned is "geologic reality," says one professor of earth and planetary sciences.