On November 8, 2007, scientists Giuliana de Toma and Roberto Casini noted something very unusual in observations of a solar prominence collected at NCAR's Mauna Loa Solar Observatory (MLSO). Prominences are magnetic structures that appear as clouds of cool, very dense material suspended for days or weeks in the much hotter, less dense solar corona.

NCAR postdoctoral researcher Yongku Kim is using epidemiologic data to study the effects of ozone regulation on human health. He’s leading an assessment of how various regulatory standards for ozone may affect non-accidental mortality, including respiratory-related deaths during ozone season.

Accurate, high-resolution weather forecasts are a critical part of wind energy production. In December, UCAR signed an agreement with Xcel Energy to develop a wind prediction system for the company’s wind energy farms in Colorado, Minnesota, and Texas.

Researchers are working toward predictions of climate change impacts in specific regions and even metropolitan areas. But are local and regional decision makers taking advantage of this science to begin to prepare for the impacts of global warming?