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Weather and Climate

Eighteen plots are laid out on the hillside on Brian Mealor’s property in Sheridan County, Wyo. Mealor is studying how differing amounts of herbicide sprayed at different times of year can be used to manage invasive species.

In grasslands plagued by invasives and drought, wildfires fuel calls for new solutions

Oct 22, 2020 Invasive plants and climate change are changing the relationship between vast rangelands, drought and wildfire.
Between the High Park and Cameron Peak Fires, a broad reach of the Poudre River’s watershed has burned within the last decade.

For the West’s drinking water, wildfire concerns linger long after smoke clears

Oct 21, 2020 For municipal drinking water systems, fires are felt for years after they’re snuffed out.
Firefighters watch a controlled burn within the Grizzly Creek Fire in Colorado. The fire has burned more than 30,000 acres near Glenwood Canyon. Now, the charred hillsides pose a flood risk for nearby areas.

Homeowners who avoid wildfire damage can find themselves in new flood zone

Oct 20, 2020 Even long after the flames of a wildfire are gone, those who live nearby face a serious increase in the threat of flooding.
A firefighter watches the flames in Yellowstone National Park during the 1988 fires.

In Yellowstone, America's 'first water park,' decades-old blaze marked start of megafire era

Oct 19, 2020 The wildfires ushered in a chapter of massive, frequent blazes as well as a new understanding of the ecological process.
A solar array used by Tucson Electric Power to add renewable energy to the grid, August 2019

Tucson Electric Power looks to expand renewables, raise customer rates

Oct 16, 2020 TEP’s plans to raise rates and install a transmission line near historic neighborhoods are not without controversy.
The sun sets over Tucson in July 2020, which was the hottest July on record.

Much of US Southwest left parched after monsoon season

Oct 2, 2020 Weather forecasters say the upcoming winter likely won't make up for the precipitation deficit.
The bright sun sets behind some trees near Soleng Tom Elementary School on Tucson's east side.

News roundup: Quitobaquito road access closed, Pima County breaks early ballot record

Sep 30, 2020 Recent coverage impacting Southern Arizona, Sept. 30.
The Colorado River near Kremmling, Colorado, on Sept. 15, 2018.

Climate change likely to keep hammering Colorado River's biggest reservoirs, model shows

Sep 17, 2020 Projections show an increasing likelihood of official shortage declaration before 2026.
Climate change will mean hotter temperatures and likely longer periods of drought for the Southwest.

Tucson City Council to vote on climate emergency declaration

Sep 8, 2020 Plan calls for carbon-neutral city operations by 2030.
The sun shines harshly behind a saguaro cactus.

The risks of severe heat

Sep 4, 2020 The hottest summer in the city’s history came during a global health crisis, leaving many residents at risk for heat-related issues.
Barbara Tobiasson pictured at her home at the Swan Lake Estates mobile home park on Aug. 31, 2020.

'Feels like the end of the world': Tucson grapples with record heat during pandemic

Sep 3, 2020 The desert community has faced both soaring temperatures and life under the coronavirus, as some work to mitigate the impact of a warmer future.
Pat Shoneck and Eileen Green ride in a golf cart at the Swan Lake Estates mobile home park, a 55+ park where Shoneck lives.

Heat, COVID-19 and isolation put mobile home parks at risk

Sep 2, 2020 Ten percent of metro Tucsonans live in manufactured housing. But residents there face risks made worse by COVID-19 and record heat.
Rain clouds near Tubac, July 2019.

Lots of heat, little rain in Tucson

Aug 18, 2020 Less than an inch of rain when we usually have nearly four inches.
Scientists have been studying the Colorado River, shown here from above Deer Creek Falls, for nearly four decades to understand the environmental impacts of the Glen Canyon Dam on a water source used by around 40 million people in seven states. The environment, climate change, tribal rights and those water users will all be considered in river-management talks expected to begin later this year.

Humpback chub 'alien abductions' help frame the future of the Colorado River

Jul 18, 2020 While not considered very "charismatic," this keystone fish plays an important role in water policy.
Rain clouds near Tubac, July 2019.

Monsoon in Southern Arizona officially starts this week

Jun 15, 2020 It is monsoon awareness week.
Palm trees blow in the wind during monsoon in Tucson.

Forecasters predict hot monsoon, though rainfall is up in the air

Jun 3, 2020 A lack of El Niño this year makes how much it will rain hard to forecast.

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