The atmosphere has dealt Houston more than a few wild cards over the last few years, including two devastating tropical cyclones and unprecedented drought. While dealing with such weather threats, the nation's fourth largest city is also taking steps to tackle longer-term climate change.

Past publications from the Communications Office.

Thanks to deicing treatment and careful route selection, commercial pilots now avoid most of the threat that ice will encase critical parts of a plane. But another, more mysterious kind of in-flight icing hazard is now gaining attention.

Scientists are targeting thunderstorms across the U.S. to discover what happens when clouds suck up air from Earth’s surface many miles into the atmosphere.

Taking aim at a sometimes deadly aviation hazard, NCAR has developed high-precision maps to warn pilots away from clouds harboring the potential to ice up their wings