Weather & Climate Change news for the Rochester region

• Rochester Museum & Science Center brings weather phenomena within reach | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle RMSC's new exhibit lets kids discover meteorologic phenomena firsthand (July 4, 08) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York
• Rochester Ranks 14th for Small Carbon Footprint - 13WHAM.com (Rochester, N.Y.) -- A new report released by the Brookings Institution on Thursday says Rochester residents have a smaller "carbon footprint" than many cities around the country. (May 29, 08) - 13WHAM.com
• Rochester ranks 14th best in national study of cities' carbon emissions | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle Rochester-area residents have a smaller "carbon footprint" than residents of most other large American cities, a new study has found, though much room remains for reduction of greenhouse-gas emissions locally. In a study being released today by the Brookings Institution, the five-county Rochester area — Monroe, Livingston, Ontario, Orleans and Wayne counties — ranked 14th-best among the nation's 100 largest metro areas in per capita emissions of carbon dioxide and other gases that contribute to global warming. (May 29, 08) democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York
• Summer-like heat breaks Rochester record | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle You may not have noticed it by the lake, but Rochester broke a 119-year-old record today. The high temperature, recorded at the Greater Rochester International Airport, was 86 degrees. That surpassed the date’s previous record high of 85 degrees, set April 19, 1889, according to the National Weather Service. (April 21, 08) democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York
• CUOMO DEMANDS THAT THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION STOP THE FOOT-DRAGGING AND COMPLY WITH SUPREME COURT’S RULING ON GLOBAL WARMING NEW YORK (April 2, 2008) – New York State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo today announced he is taking action against the EPA. Cuomo commenced action, joining the Attorneys General of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and 15 additional states in filing a lawsuit demanding that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) comply with the Supreme Court’s decision holding that the Agency has the authority to regulate global warming pollution under the Clean Air Act. “Despite clear directions a year ago from the highest court in the land, the EPA has failed to move forward on combating global warming. The EPA’s foot-dragging would not be tolerated from any other defendant that failed to comply with a court order,” said Cuomo. “Global warming is one of the most critical environmental problems of our generation, posing huge risks to our environment, health, and economy, both globally and right here in New York. We all know that global warming is dangerous -- it’s beyond dispute. But a year after the Supreme Court’s decision, the EPA refuses to acknowledge even this simple truth.” --Office of New York State Attorney General Andrew M Cuomo
• Cuomo demands that the Bush Administration stop ‘foot-dragging’ on global warming - ALBANY - New York State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo Wednesday announced he is taking action against the EPA. Cuomo commenced action, joining the Attorneys General of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and 15 additional states, in filing a lawsuit demanding that the Environmental Protection Agency comply with the Supreme Court’s decision holding that the Agency has the authority to regulate global warming pollution under the Clean Air Act. New York State News on the Net!
• MinnPost - It's cold outside, but Lake Superior is getting warmer DULUTH — Lake Superior is undergoing sudden increases in its water temperatures and dramatic declines in its lake levels, prompting scientists and others to wonder: Is the world's largest fresh water lake in the throes of irreversible change due to global warming? (Feb 21, 08) MinnPost
• Later freezes, earlier thaws wave of future - Michigan, Great Lakes Environmental & Conservation Issues - MLive.com Scientists at the University of Wisconsin found a steady trend toward reduced ice cover on inland lakes in the Great Lakes region from 1975 through 2004. On average, there are now 16 fewer days of ice cover on inland lakes than 30 years ago, according to the study funded by the National Science Foundation. The last three decades were marked by "rapid climate warming," according to a National Science Foundation press release. Several of the planet's warmest years in recorded history have occurred over the past 20 years, according to government data. (Jan 29, 08) MLive.com: Everything Michigan
• Cuomo and coalition of 15 states against EPA over global warming - New York - New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo Wednesday announced he is leading a 15 state coalition that is joining a lawsuit brought by California against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to uphold the right of states to regulate greenhouse gas pollution from automobiles. (Jan 05, 07) New York State News on the Net!
• ENN: New study increases concerns about climate model reliability ROCHESTER, NY (Dec. 11, 2007) — A new study comparing the composite output of 22 leading global climate models with actual climate data finds that the models do an unsatisfactory job of mimicking climate change in key portions of the atmosphere. “The usual discussion is whether the climate model forecasts of Earth’s climate 100 years or so into the future are realistic,” said the lead author, Dr. David H. Douglass from the University of Rochester. “Here we have something more fundamental: Can the models accurately explain the climate from the recent past? “It seems that the answer is no.” Environmental News Network
• Group warns Ohio's future bleak if greenhouse effect is unchecked COLUMBUS — The impact of climate change on Ohio could be perilous unless action is taken to curtail greenhouse gases, a conservation group warned. Ohio faces a future of extended droughts and extreme heat, loss of important species and increased pressure from agricultural pests, among other things, said the group, Nature Conservancy. (Dec 20, 07) Dayton Daily News | Dayton, Ohio, News and Information
• ENVIRONMENT: You're getting warmer - News & Opinion - Rochester City Newspaper The Kyoto Accord began the race to halt global warming. On its 10th anniversary, why are we barely past the starting gate? (Dec 05/07) Rochester City Newspaper
• Spitzer participates in carbon markets partnership meeting on global warming - Lisbon, Portugal -- A coalition of European countries, U.S. states, Canadian provinces, New Zealand and Norway Monday announced the formation of the International Carbon Action Partnership to fight global warming. New York Governor Spitzer was among those participating. (Oct. 30, 07) New York State News on the Net!
• Climate change already upon us - In 50 years, New York will be like Georgia, expert says — At first blush, the forecast doesn't sound that bad. Temperatures in upstate New York have climbed, on average, 1 degree over the past 50 years and will do the same during the next 50. The biggest seasonal change is in winter: Over the past 50 years, average winter temperatures have risen 2 degrees. (October 31, 2007) Democrat & Chronicle
• www.ny.gov - GOVERNOR SPITZER UNVEILS CUTTING-EDGE GLOBAL WARMING REGULATIONS New York to Be Part of First ‘Cap and Trade’ Program in the Nation  - Fulfilling his pledge to provide sound environmental stewardship, Governor Eliot Spitzer today unveiled new draft regulations to carry out a cutting-edge regional program that will cut greenhouse gases emitted by New York power plants. Today, New York issued draft regulations for implementing the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). RGGI is an agreement by 10 Northeastern states to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Under RGGI, participating states will each issue their own regulations, and when fully implemented RGGI will achieve a 16 percent reduction in emissions from projected business-as-usual emissions. Under the groundbreaking draft regulations established by Governor Spitzer, a power plant would have to buy enough carbon credits or allowances (one allowance per ton of emissions) to cover its emissions in a flexible, market-based system that are similar to those used to combat acid rain. (Oct. 24, 07) GOV SITE
• Greenhouse-gas emissions would fall under Spitzer proposal — ALBANY — Gov. Eliot Spitzer unveiled new regulations Wednesday to cut greenhouse-gas emissions from New York power plants by 10 percent over the next 12 years. New York is one of 10 Northeast states that have banded together to try to reduce the greenhouse gases, in the absence of what they see as an effective federal effort. (October 25, 2007) Democrat & Chronicle
• Global warming regulations unveiled - Albany -- Governor Eliot Spitzer Wednesday unveiled new draft regulations to carry out a regional program that will cut greenhouse gases emitted by New York power plants. Today, New York issued draft regulations for implementing the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. (Oct. 25, 07) New York State News on the Net!
• The Future Is Drying Up - Scientists sometimes refer to the effect a hotter world will have on this country’s fresh water as the other water problem, because global warming more commonly evokes the specter of rising oceans submerging our great coastal cities. (Sept. 21, 07) The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia
• Global warming could cause rise in sewer bills Increase in storms may overwhelm system upgrades - Global warming, already on the hook for declining polar bear populations, disappearing glaciers and rising sea levels, may also increase your sewer bill. A U.S. Environmental Protection Agency climate change expert says warming temperatures over the next several decades will be accompanied by an increase in the number and severity of storms. The combination will reduce the effectiveness of scores of federally mandated sewer improvements and water treatment upgrades designed to stop almost all of the sewage pollution flowing into rivers and creeks when it rains. (Oct.3, 2007) Post-Gazette NOW
• Canadians alarmed over climate change OTTAWA - Canadians are now expressing alarm about climate change in greater numbers than in any developed nation except France, according to a poll released Tuesday. Unless politicians respond with aggressive action to curb greenhouse gas emissions, they risk paying a heavy price, warns the president of the polling firm that commissioned the survey. (Sept 7, 07) http://www.canada.com/
• TheStar.com - Environment - Could climate change herald mass migration? Concerns raised as the U. S. Southwest grapples with historic drought, water supply depletion and the creeping sense that things can only get worse - than 300 golf courses, a booming economy, endless sunshine and, at last count, at least five Saks Fifth Avenue department stores — in short, nearly everything the well-heeled sybarite would need. There’s just one thing missing: rain. For the past month, not a drop has fallen in Maricopa County, home to greater Phoenix, the state’s economic engine and fastest-growing hub. Over that period, temperatures have hovered five to seven degrees above the 30-year average, at one point holding steady at over 43C for 10 straight days, while hundreds of brush fires burned statewide. (July 22, 07) TheStar.com
• Global Warming to Hit U.S. Northeast Hard, Scientists Say Long-term Severity Depends On Near-term Choices, Scientists Say "CAMBRIDGE, Mass.—If heat-trapping emissions are not significantly curtailed, global warming will substantially change critical aspects of the Northeast's character and economy, according to a new report by the Northeast Climate Impacts Assessment (NECIA), a two-year collaboration between the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) and a team of more than 50 scientists and economists. Near-term choices about energy, transportation, and land-use will largely determine the extent and severity of climate change."  (July 11, 2007) Union of Concerned Scientists
• An inconvenient truth is re-examined The risks of global warming have been well-documented. However, might there also be advantages to climate change? - GHENT — It’s not in Al Gore’s PowerPoint presentation, but there are some upsides to global warming. Northern homes could save on heating fuel. Rust Belt cities like Buffalo might stop losing snowbirds to the South. Canadian farmers could harvest bumper crops. Greenland may become awash in cod and oil riches. Shippers could count on an Arctic shortcut between the Atlantic and Pacific. Forests may expand. Mongolia could see a go-go economy. So . . . surf’s up, Buffalo? (June 20, 07) Buffalo News
• Cornell expert paints grim picture of climate - ALBANY -- Imagine if summers in New York were more like those in Georgia. Huge rainstorms cause massive floods that are followed by months of drought. Snow-belt strongholds such as Rochester and Buffalo see only a few days of snow every winter. This is the picture that a climate change expert painted here Friday. (April 4, 07) http://www.stargazettenews.com/
• Warming could spark N. American water scramble-UN | Reuters NEW YORK, April 11 (Reuters) - Climate change could diminish North American water supplies and trigger disputes between the United States and Canada over water reserves already stressed by industry and agriculture, U.N. experts said on Wednesday. Breaking News, World, U.S., Video, Investing and Business News & More | Reuters.com
• Good editorial in the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle on Global Warming. You can join in the discussion: Bush must catch up - Fortunately, efforts under way to reduce greenhouse gases (Feb 12, 07) Democrat & Chronicle
• 02/15/07 - Here’s an interesting speculation on the importance of the recent climate change report: Change coming for Ohio trees, birds Global warming could drive out native species, bring southern varieties up north - Young Ohioans walking through the woods today likely will remember a different place when they stroll the same forest in 75 years. When the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released its report Feb. 2 in Paris, the world heard clearly that humans are causing global warming. What that means to different continents and regions varies. In the United States, forecasts suggest that rising oceans will swallow coastal areas. (Feb 13, 07) The Columbus Dispatch
• MPNnow.com: Why is it so warm? Storms in the West have been getting headlines, but even more puzzling are record highs in the East tied to something called the North Atlantic Oscillation.  Is global warming responsible? Some experts are zeroing in on a seesaw climate pattern that occurs over the North Atlantic, called the North Atlantic Oscillation or NAO — less publicly known than El Niño, and certainly less understood.  MPNnow.com: Rochester and Western Finger Lakes News, Entertainment, Sports, Opinions, Photos and More
• Weird warmth puzzles plants - With springlike temperatures and no snow cover, buds making early arrival. — As above-normal temperatures have stretched into January, the Rochester region's landscapes have been growing faster and without their usual insulating blanket of white. That creates an unusual dynamic for plants and wildlife. (January 6, 2007) Democrat & Chronicle
• Warmth Brings Out The Buds - Most Januaries, we don't expect to see the kinds of things one will notice on a walk through Highland Park. But a much warmer-than-usual winter means flowers are flowering, and buds on trees and shrubs are budding. (January 5, 2007) R News: As It Happens, Where It Happens
• Where's winter? El Niño said to cause startling warmth in East — Maybe Rochester's winter hitched a ride out of town on the high-speed ferry. Regardless, winter weather has been notably absent. Last month, the Rochester area saw the least amount of snowfall of any December on record with the National Weather Service going back to 1940. (January 4, 2007) Democrat & Chronicle
• ce wine prospects are melting away - Ice wine makers in the region, as well as Canada, are in dire straits because of this winter's mild weather, and some fear there will be no product at all if January doesn't bring icy temperatures. Ice wines, which are very sweet, dessert-style drinks, are unique because the grapes used are harvested and pressed while frozen. Finger Lakes Times Online
• Mild weather leaves us wondering where the snow is - According to National Weather Service data, only 4.2 inches of snow has fallen in Rochester since Oct. 1, with 3.3 inches of that this month. The normal snowfall for December to date is 17.9 inches. And in an average winter, 25 inches of snow falls on Rochester for all of December. (December 27, 2006)  Democrat & Chronicle
• Impact of pollution plan debated -- Page 1 -- Times Union - Albany NY ALBANY -- Power plant executives and environmentalists squared off Thursday over the cost of the state's ambitious proposal to combat global warming. Under proposed rules for the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, plant owners would be forced to purchase state-issued credits to emit carbon dioxide, a leading greenhouse gas. Starting in 2009, the state would sell credits for 63.4 million tons of carbon dioxide annually. The target is to cut emissions 10 percent starting in 2015 by reducing the amount of credits. (December 17, 2006) Albany NY News - Times Union - Serving Albany, Saratoga, Schenectady, Troy
• GLOBAL WARMING REPORT PREDICTS INCREASE IN HEAT-RELATED ILLNESSES, ASTHMA & FLOODING, INFRASTRUCTURE DAMAGE FOR NYS - Environmental Advocates of New York Releases Forecast for New York Report Documenting Global Warming Impacts & Next Steps - (Albany, NY)—On November 29, Environmental Advocates of New York released Forecast for New York: Projected Global Warming Impacts & Next Steps, a report projecting the impacts of climate change on New York State, including the effects of global warming on the state’s public health, infrastructure, agriculture industry, and water supply, among other impacts. Forecast for New York also describes the state’s current strategies to address global warming and policy recommendations to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions. These recommendations are particularly relevant in light of the anticipated release of the state’s rule for implementation of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) in New York, a seven-state plan to cut carbon dioxide emissions from electric power generators in the Northeast. -- from Environmental Advocates of New York
• Buffalo News - Climate change is coming, climate change is coming! How global warming will affect the Great Lakes and Western New York - Stronger storms. Shorter winters. Drier soils, heat waves, heavy rains and flooding. Lake Erie levels that are lower than ever - maybe. You probably have heard so much about climate change by now that your mind freezes at its mere mention. News reports, scientific testimonials, advertisements, television programs, movies, political posturing and conversation abound. It can be exhausting, and as a result some jump to the conclusion that it is too complicated an issue and not much can be done about it anyway. Thinking shuts down. People shut up.
• WXXI: U of R Panel Says No Silver Bullets for Energy Policy (2006-10-07) ROCHESTER, NY A panel that included a Nobel Prize winner and a former U.S. Department of Energy official told an audience at the University of Rochester on Saturday that it's too late to avoid climate change from fossil fuels. They said the world has to find options to oil and coal in ways that preserve its economy and also fights global warming. Director John Holdren of the Woods Hole Research Center, Nobel Prize winning physicist Steven Chu and others spoke at the U of R's Meliora Weekend. (2006-10-07) Public NewsRoom
• City Newspaper: Cover Story: Cover story: The hots, for you The planet is warming up. What does that mean for Rochester? The short answer is that nobody really knows. A climate is a complex thing. Change one little part of it and you may change the whole thing --- and in unpredictable ways. Still, that doesn't mean scientists can't make some sound educated guesses about what could happen. And if any of those guesses prove accurate, the Rochester of tomorrow could be a very different place from the one we know today. May 3, 2006) City Newspaper
• Nature's calendar springing forward - Whiff of warmth, early buds point to stronger and stronger trend — The budding trees on Rochester streets are a testament to this extraordinarily warm winter. But earlier springs have been a reality for the past 30 years as the climate began to change, according to data collected across New England and discussed by researchers during a telephone conference Friday. "Stronger and stronger evidence of climate change is upon us," said David Wolf of Cornell University. "Nature's calendar is responding to the warming." Warming trend Many records suggest that spring is arriving earlier in the Northeast. All figures reflect average changes over at least the past 30 years. Lake ice is disappearing nine to 16 days earlier. Average winter temperatures are 4.4 degrees warmer. The growing season has increased by eight days. The period of time with snow on the ground has decreased by 16 days. Plants are blooming four to eight days earlier. (March 11, 2006) Democrat and Chronicle
•  Activist has solutions to warming - Speaker says global changes can be halted — Americans can't afford to wait for the world to solve our climate change problems, a local activist said Monday night. Hugh Mitchell of Rochester recently returned from a national Sierra Club meeting. The role of irresponsible energy choices in increasing global warming was chosen as the club's top national priority. "We need to make radical changes in our energy use and lifestyle," Mitchell said to local environmentalists in Penfield. (October 26, 2005) Democrat and Chronicle
•  Study: Lilacs say spring is coming earlier— Already eager for spring? It's coming a week earlier than it did 40 years ago, new research suggests. Cornell University scientists, using first-bloom data on Rochester lilacs and other plants, say their study illustrates shifting patterns in the Northeast's climate.  (December 14, 2004) Democrat and Chronicle
•  Democrat & Chronicle: Rising temps a local worry Cornell researcher says global warming will affect area's crops. (November 15, 2004) — To David W. Wolfe, a crop biologist at Cornell University, global warming is not only very real, its effects are local. In the Northeast, where he and other scientists have been studying the likely regional effects of global warming for a decade, the average annual temperature has already jumped 1.8 degrees in the last century. (November15, 2004) Democrat and Chronicle
•  Democrat & Chronicle: Speaker warns of global warming — Since the 1950s, a 750 billion-ton section of ice shelf, larger than Rhode Island and warmed by rising global temperatures, has slipped into the sea. This and other startling facts were part of a presentation Tuesday evening by Richard H. Moss, director of the U.S. Climate Change Science Program Office in Washington, D.C.  (October 29, 2003) Democrat and Chronicle
•  Democrat & Chronicle: Study: Future climate to heat up — Are fig trees coming soon to the Snow Belt? Not quite. But a leading scientist will be in Rochester this month to discuss the impact of climate change on New York. Richard Moss, director of the U.S. Climate Change Science Program Office, will deliver the keynote address at the annual Salute to the Environment on Oct. 28, sponsored by the Rochester-based Center for Environmental Information. (October 20, 2003) Democrat and Chronicle
•  Near Drought - Cornell Cooperative Extension of Monroe County says farmers are reporting near drought conditions. Agricultural specialist Bob King says this situation is close to one last year and possibly even worse..."We're pretty close, we're on the edge of an agricultural drought we're not quite there yet. We're hoping that the weather will change and we'll get a good inch or two of rain." WHAM News
• Warm welcome - Lots of studies point to the disastrous consequences of climate change on oceans and glaciers, continental climates, and other things global. But now the Boston-based Union of Concerned Scientists and the Ecological Society of America have brought the issue down to our backyards. The two groups recently issued a report, Confronting Climate Change in the Great Lakes Region, which looks at problems and offers regional solutions state-by-state. The report predicts "New York's climate will grow considerably warmer and probably drier during this century." Summer temperatures around here could rise seven to 14 degrees Fahrenheit, "roughly the same as the warming since the last ice age." There also could be changes in precipitation patterns (with drier soils and more droughts), more frequent "extreme events," and declines in Great Lakes ice cover.   (May 22, 2003) http://www.rochester-citynews.com
• GOVERNOR CALLS ON NORTHEAST STATES TO FIGHT CLIMATE CHANGE Governor George E. Pataki today announced that he has asked the governors from Maine to Maryland to join together in a regional strategy to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from power plants. The initiative would involve developing a regional market-based emissions trading system to require power generators to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. "While New York State has already implemented some of the nation's toughest air pollution regulations and developed effective energy efficiency initiatives to improve air quality, we can build on these efforts through a regional approach that promotes further emission reductions at power generating facilities," Governor Pataki said. "To that end, I have contacted governors from Maine to Maryland to encourage them to work with us to develop a strategy that will help the region lead the nation in the effort to fight global climate change. -- Office of the Governor Press Releases 2003
• 'Tougher greenhouse gas limits urged' - timesunion.com New York would lead the nation in limiting the main greenhouse gas emitted by power plants if Gov. George Pataki accepts the recommendations in a final report by his task force on global warming, members of the body said Wednesday. The report, which is not yet public, calls for a less-dramatic reduction of carbon dioxide emissions than discussed in a 2002 draft report, but still calls for the most aggressive cuts adopted by any state. (April 27, 2003) Albany NY Times Union: timesunion.com
•  'Statewide campaign aims to curb global warming' - timesunion.com Environmentalists, teachers organize grass-roots effort to cut carbon dioxide emissions by 10 percent  (November 26, 2002) Albany NY Times Union: timesunion.com
• Scientist Links Dying Lobsters To Warmer Waters STONY BROOK, NY (AP) - A scientist suspects that increasingly warm water may be responsible for the precipitous decrease in the number of lobsters in the Long Island Sound, a published report said Saturday. "The correlation is very strong," Alistair Dove, a pathologist at the State University of New York at Stony Brook, told The New York Times. "Not proven, but strong. Climate is the killer here."  (November 11, 2002) WOKR-TV 13 || ROCHESTER
• Farmers Get Rain Too Late Isidore soaked us with all she had left Friday. Two to five inches of rain from what used to be a tropical storm should have had us bailing, but it didn't. Thank your dry summer of 2002 for that. Still, not many people want to get wet picking out produce at a roadside farmer’s stand. "It's been very slow, probably ten people the whole day," Elaine Boyer said. R News: Your NewsChannel
• State Officials Ask Bush to Act on Global Warming — In a letter that attacks what it says is the Bush administration's failure to address the looming crisis of global warming, the attorneys general of 11 states have written to the president pressing for strong federal measures to limit emissions of so-called greenhouse gases. The state officials argue in the letter, to be sent on Wednesday to President Bush, that his administration's "regulatory void" has left it to the states to piece together a patchwork of inconsistent regulations on the environment and that a strong federal policy would be far more effective. July 16 The New York Times on the Web
• Ozone Alert Blankets Rochester If you had a tougher time of it mowing the lawn or even taking a stroll, you can blame it on the weather and something scientists call an ozone alert day. (July 3, 2002) RNews.
• N.Y. and the greenhouse Governor Pataki has an opportunity to set the standard on carbon dioxide
• Yahoo! News - Alaska, No Longer So Frigid, Starts to Crack, Burn and Sag ANCHOR POINT, Alaska, June 13 To live in Alaska when the average temperature has risen about seven degrees over the last 30 years means learning to cope with a landscape that can sink, catch fire or break apart in the turn of a season. (June 17, 2002) The New York Times on the Web
• Yahoo! News - Global Warming Shatters Giant Antarctic Ice Shelf LONDON (Reuters) - An Antarctic ice shelf the size of a small country has disintegrated under the impact of global warming (news - web sites), scientists said Tuesday. Although scientists at the British Antarctic Survey predicted four years ago the eventual disintegration of the giant Larsen B ice shelf -- 1,255 square miles and 655 feet deep -- they were astounded by the speed of the break up. (March 19, 2002) Yahoo News
• Warm Weather Causing Early Maple Syrup Season Rochester, NY - The state's maple syrup season is getting an early start, thanks to the spell of warm weather. Bob King of the Cornell Cooperative Extension says maple syrup producers in the Rochester region are in the midst of a major sap run that started on Monday. (February 21, 2002) iKnowRochester.com