Typically, pilots avoid flying where icing conditions can occur, but researchers are flying into extremely cold weather in order to study an Arctic phenomenon known as marine cold air outbreaks (CAOs). CAOs and the clouds they generate may have far-reaching climate impacts and scientists are hoping to understand more about the role they are playing in the rapid warming of the Arctic.

Although a warmer atmosphere can hold more water vapor, atmospheric moisture has not increased over arid and semi-arid regions of the world as the climate has warmed.

The forests and grasslands of northern tropical Africa take in about as much carbon dioxide in the wet season as they release in the dry season, according to a new study based on observations from aircraft. The findings contradict earlier research that relied on satellite data and found that these ecosystems may be adding significantly more carbon to the atmosphere than they absorb over the course of a year.

Fast jet stream winds will accelerate by mid century as the planet warms.

NCAR has been awarded NSF funding to research links between new road transportation technologies and the changing climate.