State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

climate-briefing

  • Welcome Back, La Niña

    Welcome Back, La Niña

    The components of La Niña are getting ready to tango. But will their performance break any climate records this time around?

  • Fears of a Double Dip…La Niña

    Fears of a Double Dip…La Niña

    You’d be forgiven for thinking its 2008 and not just because of the economic uncertainty. Is there a dreaded double dip La Niña in store, too?

  • The Role of Drought in the Horn of Africa Famine

    The Role of Drought in the Horn of Africa Famine

    Let’s get this out of the way. The current famine in the Horn of Africa isn’t caused by drought. Rather, a complex mix of societal and political factors created a dangerous situation. The worst drought in 60 years (pdf) is what pushed that situation over the edge into a humanitarian crisis. However, just as these…

  • Climate Forecasting: Oceans, Droughts, Climate Change and Other Tools of the Trade

    Climate Forecasting: Oceans, Droughts, Climate Change and Other Tools of the Trade

    At the International Research Institute for Climate and Society’s monthly climate briefing, talk often focuses on the role that El Niño or La Niña play in driving global climate. With the collapse of La Niña last month, though, IRI’s forecasters now have to rely on different tools to offer forecasts for the coming year. That’s…

  • R.I.P. La Niña

    R.I.P. La Niña

    La Niña, we hardly knew ye. This year’s iteration of the climate phenomenon nearly set records for strength and riled up world weather for nine months. Now it’s dead. What’s next?

  • La Niña Still Hanging On

    La Niña Still Hanging On

    IRI’s latest climate briefing shows a weak La Niña still hanging around. The big question is what will happen next?

  • La Niña Subsiding, Atlantic Climate Phenomenon Forming

    La Niña Subsiding, Atlantic Climate Phenomenon Forming

    A return to near normal conditions in the Pacific doesn’t mean there aren’t other interesting climatic phenomenon afoot.

  • La Niña Begins to Weaken

    La Niña Begins to Weaken

    The current moderate-strength La Niña is now weakening and is expected to dissipate by late spring, said Tony Barnston, the lead forecaster at the International Research Institute for Climate and Society, which holds a monthly climate briefing. Early February showed the first easing in strength of the cool sea-surface temperatures in the central and eastern…

  • La Niña Rolls On

    La Niña Rolls On

    The current moderate-to-strong La Niña is expected to continue through at least the middle of spring, said forecasters at the International Research Institute for Climate and Society’s monthly climate briefing.

  • Welcome Back, La Niña

    Welcome Back, La Niña

    The components of La Niña are getting ready to tango. But will their performance break any climate records this time around?

  • Fears of a Double Dip…La Niña

    Fears of a Double Dip…La Niña

    You’d be forgiven for thinking its 2008 and not just because of the economic uncertainty. Is there a dreaded double dip La Niña in store, too?

  • The Role of Drought in the Horn of Africa Famine

    The Role of Drought in the Horn of Africa Famine

    Let’s get this out of the way. The current famine in the Horn of Africa isn’t caused by drought. Rather, a complex mix of societal and political factors created a dangerous situation. The worst drought in 60 years (pdf) is what pushed that situation over the edge into a humanitarian crisis. However, just as these…

  • Climate Forecasting: Oceans, Droughts, Climate Change and Other Tools of the Trade

    Climate Forecasting: Oceans, Droughts, Climate Change and Other Tools of the Trade

    At the International Research Institute for Climate and Society’s monthly climate briefing, talk often focuses on the role that El Niño or La Niña play in driving global climate. With the collapse of La Niña last month, though, IRI’s forecasters now have to rely on different tools to offer forecasts for the coming year. That’s…

  • R.I.P. La Niña

    R.I.P. La Niña

    La Niña, we hardly knew ye. This year’s iteration of the climate phenomenon nearly set records for strength and riled up world weather for nine months. Now it’s dead. What’s next?

  • La Niña Still Hanging On

    La Niña Still Hanging On

    IRI’s latest climate briefing shows a weak La Niña still hanging around. The big question is what will happen next?

  • La Niña Subsiding, Atlantic Climate Phenomenon Forming

    La Niña Subsiding, Atlantic Climate Phenomenon Forming

    A return to near normal conditions in the Pacific doesn’t mean there aren’t other interesting climatic phenomenon afoot.

  • La Niña Begins to Weaken

    La Niña Begins to Weaken

    The current moderate-strength La Niña is now weakening and is expected to dissipate by late spring, said Tony Barnston, the lead forecaster at the International Research Institute for Climate and Society, which holds a monthly climate briefing. Early February showed the first easing in strength of the cool sea-surface temperatures in the central and eastern…

  • La Niña Rolls On

    La Niña Rolls On

    The current moderate-to-strong La Niña is expected to continue through at least the middle of spring, said forecasters at the International Research Institute for Climate and Society’s monthly climate briefing.