NOAA launches new modeling tool to track severe weather

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) launched a new modeling tool for meteorologists to study severe weather and track how it develops at the local level.

Governor of Oklahoma appoints committee to study induced seismicity

Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin has formed a committee to study the recent uptick in earthquakes within her state that researchers have linked to oil and gas development.

House passes Tsunami Warning, Education, and Research Act

On September 8, the House of Representatives passed the Tsunami Warning, Education, and Research Act (H.R. 5309) by voice vote.

USGS outlines resources for reporting on earthquakes

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) held an educational seminar for members of the media on September 24 on how to accurately report on earthquakes following an event.

Scientists brief Congress on science-based resilience following Hurricane Sandy

Representatives from the USGS, the NPS, and the U.S. FWS presented a congressional briefing on the science behind efforts to help rebuild shorelines, ecosystems, and communities after Hurricane Sandy.

Bipartisan House bill would improve tsunami forecasting and preparedness in U.S.

Before the August recess, a bipartisan coalition of members from the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology released the Tsunami Warning, Education, and Research Act of 2014 (H.R. 5309), a bill which would reauthorize the Tsunami Warning and Education Act of 2006. The bill is intended to enhance coordination among coastal states to improve tsunami research and mitigation.

EARTH Magazine: Living in the Shadow of Mauna Loa: A Silent Summit Belies a Volcano's Forgotten Fury

Earth’s largest active volcano, Mauna Loa on Hawaii’s Big Island, is taking a nap. And after 30 years, no one is sure when the sleeping giant will awaken. Scientists say it’s likely to erupt again within the next couple of decades and, when it does, it will be spectacular — and potentially dangerous.

Dark Horse Comics does Geoscience! - HECK YES!

WITHOUT WARNING! (EARTHQUAKE SAFETY AND INFORMATION)

I was scrolling through twitter today when I saw that Dark Horse Comics (they're kind of a big deal) had teamed up with the Oregon Office of Emergency Managment (they're also big deal) to release the free comic book "Without Warning!" a comic book aimed at teaching earthquake preparedness. It's not every day that the geosciences get a comic book from such an esteemed publisher! The book follows the story Angie, a teen in coastal Oregon, who experiences a large magnitude earthquake and tsunami. She navigates through a day in a disaster zone, and takes some of the information she's absorbed over the years, as well as an emergency preparedness kit (initially intended for use in a zombie apocalypse).

Senate subcommittee examines future of the National Flood Insurance Program

Mammatus clouds that are usually associated with thunderstorms.

The Senate Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee held a hearing on July 23 to discuss the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), which is up for reauthorization in 2017. The hearing covered recent changes to legislation aimed at increasing the NFIP’s solvency and plans to update Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) across the country.

House subcommittee hearing on the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program

A subcommittee of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee met on July 29 to review the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP). Committee members and witnesses agreed that reauthorization for NEHRP, which expired in 2009, is critical.

American Geosciences Institute

natural hazards