Still Life
University Park Airport Emergency Response Exercise
Commencement across Penn State: Spring 2012
Spring commencement 2012 under way
Penn State, Moroccan students problem-solve together
Finals Week Spring Semester 2012
Painting the Lines at Beaver Stadium
Did They Get It Right? - RedTails
Iconic Penn State elm taken down over spring break 2012
We ... are Penn State (December 19, 2011)
Disease stricken matching elm tree slated for removal
Penn State's creamery, from the cow to the cone
It's a river of wind, usually about 200 miles wide and about 2 miles deep, that flows about 5 to 7 miles above the earth's surface, said climatologist Paul Knight. What most people don't realize is that the jet stream is the major player in how our weather changes. (more)
In 1969 Neil Armstrong walked on the moon, the Woodstock festival changed music and perhaps the culture forever, Sesame Street debuted on television and Richard Nixon became president. The first quarter of that year was also the only one in Pennsylvania since 1895 drier than the start of 2009, according to Penn State weather and precipitation experts. (more)
Researchers today worry about the collapse of West Antarctic ice shelves and loss of the West Antarctic ice sheet, but little is known about the past movements of this ice. Now climatologists from Penn State and the University of Massachusetts have modeled the past 5 million years of the West Antarctic ice sheet and found the ice expanse changes rapidly and is most influenced by ocean temperatures near the continent. (more)
If it seems like this winter has brought more ice storms than normal, there's a good reason, according to Penn State weather experts. It really has. According to Paul Knight, Pennsylvania state climatologist, the Keystone State feels the effect of 12 to 18 winter storms during a typical winter. Of those storms, only two or three would normally produce widespread icy conditions. "Many parts of Pennsylvania have already exceeded their usual number of icing events for a year, and the winter is not even half over," he says. "There is no doubt that the frequency of freezing rain during December and so far in January is unusual, particularly for the central part of the state." (more)
April showers supposedly bring May flowers. But what will spring bring this year, after what seemed to be an unusually wet winter? Paul Knight, Pennsylvania state climatologist and manager of Penn State Weather Communications Group, differentiates past winters to the most recent and discusses how this may impact the spring and summer weather. (more)
