March

March 11, 2013

With Less Arctic Ice, More Storms Like Sandy. According to Rutgers research professor and CECI affiliate Jennifer Francis, melting Arctic sea ice caused by global warming is driving changes to the jet stream and helped create the conditions that made Superstorm Sandy possible. Francis explains that since Arctic sea ice began to melt at dramatic rates, the path of the jet stream has become wavier and has dipped further south, causing changes to regional weather patterns.

March 21, 2013

Abundant Pollen Will Trigger Intense Allergy Suffering. Historical models indicate that the pollen season has been delayed due to large amounts of precipitation this past fall and winter, but is likely to ratchet up quickly as everything blooms at once and causes pollen counts to skyrocket. Leonard Bielory, a Rutgers professor at the Center for Environmental Prediction and CECI affiliate, explains that moisture from Hurricane Sandy and other winter storms are having a major impact on this spring's allergy season.

March 25, 2013

Pollen Counts, and Allergies, Expected to Double by 2040. Future levels of pollen production are expected to increase substantially as a result of climate change, says Leonard Bielory, a Rutgers professor at the Center for Environmental Prediction and CECI affiliate. Pollen counts are expected to reach an average of 21,735 grains of pollen per cubic meter by 2040, compared to an average for the year 2000 of 8,455 grains per cubic meter.