The first "triple-dip" La Niña event of the 21st century is waning, and the odds of an El Niño in the tropical Pacific Ocean are rising, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said Wednesday.
Why it matters: El Niño events release a tremendous amount of ocean heat into the atmosphere and would increase the odds for a new record warm year in 2024.
The Department of Justice announced Tuesday that it has filed a lawsuit against a chemicals manufacturer in Louisiana over hazardous emissions from its manufacturing facility and their threat to public health in the nearby majority-Black community.
Driving the news: The plant operated by Denka Performance Elastomer LLC is heightening cancer risks by producing high levels of chloroprene emissions, alleges the complaint, which was filed on behalf of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Scientists are slamming the brakes on deliberately interfering with the climate to temporarily counteract global warming until the pros and cons are more fully known.
What's happening: In the meantime, they're advocating for a comprehensive research campaign that studies the field — known as geoengineering — and its potential.
California is being hit with more severe winter weather — as forecasters warn more heavy rains and snow will continue to slam the West Coast through Wednesday.
The big picture: Schools and roads across Northern California remained closed, as the National Weather Service said the region faced "two more rounds of heavy snow" and dangerous blizzard conditions combined with wind gusts up to 60 mph in the Sierra Nevada until at least early Wednesday.
