An Arctic blast tied in part to the polar vortex is driving record frigid air south from the Northern Plains toward the Gulf Coast Wednesday in a cold snap that will last the entire week.
Threat level: This event is setting daily record cold temperatures and is forecast to bring for the coldest temperatures on record for this late in the season.
Energy heavyweight Invenergy on Wednesday will unveil 640 megawatts of virtual power purchase deals with Verizon via solar projects across four states.
Why it matters: It brings Verizon's procurement from Invenergy — the country's largest privately held clean energy developer — above 1 gigawatt as overall U.S. demand rises.
Cuts hit theNational Science Foundation on Tuesday, the latest in a string of terminations at top U.S. science agencies that conduct or support climate research.
Why it matters: Fears are growing within the scientific community that arbitrary firings of government scientists will set back U.S. leadership in a slew of fields.
The layoffs of thousands of government workers are likely to expand — possibly as soon as Tuesday — to two key climate science and extreme weather agencies: NOAA and NASA.
Why it matters: These agencies keep tabs on the planet's weather and climate and are considered to be in the top tier of such government departments worldwide.