The lockdowns and reduced societal activity related to the COVID-19 pandemic affected emissions of pollutants in ways that slightly warmed the planet for several months last year, according to new research led by NCAR.

The temperatures in the upper 2,000 meters of the ocean hit a record high in 2020, according to a new analysis by a research team that included scientists from the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). The five hottest years for the upper ocean on record have all occurred since 2015.

An advanced new computer modeling technique has enabled scientists to project the potential extent of climate change in the world’s cities.

In a review paper published in the journal Science, a group of climate experts makes the case for including paleoclimate data in the development of climate models. Such models are used globally to assess the impacts of human-caused greenhouse gas emissions, predict scenarios for future climate and propose strategies for mitigation.

With wildfires becoming a growing threat, the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) is supporting a major, university-led initiative to better forecast the destructive events.