Long-term Atmospheric River History in California
Atmospheric rivers (ARs) are associated with some of the largest flood-producing extreme precipitation events in western North America. As the primary storm mechanism in California, the difference of a few large AR storms in a year dramatically changes precipitation totals and drives the state towards water abundance or drought. Current records of AR activity are limited to just 70 years of instrumental data. So, the key question motivating this work was: what is the long-term history of AR storms in California? We can get insight into past extreme precipitation by looking to the sediment record. Under the right circumstances, clues to
Volcano Watch — Potential long-term outcomes of recent intrusions in Kīlauea East Rift Zone
Volcano Watch is a weekly article and activity update written by U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists and affiliates. Chain of Craters within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park before 1969, when several craters were partly or completely filled with lava. Now the Chain of Craters Road turns south, away from its pre-1969 route, between Pauahi and ʻAloʻi, a pit crater buried in 1969 by Maunaulu lava flows. The junction with the Hilina Pali Road is essentially at Devil’s Throat. The eruption in and near Nāpau Crater on September 15–20 is an example of a brief eruption in this area. If