Environment & Science

The Lehigh Valley remains devoid of accumulating snow events so far in December —and it looks like that pattern will continue straight through the holiday season.

Brad Klein reviews the week’s astronomical highlights with Bethlehem’s 'Backyard Astronomy Guy," Marty McGuire.

Sunday's rain could transition to snow as the storm system departs the region Monday morning, with the potential to affect the morning commute, according to the National Weather Service.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture updated its plant hardiness map, showing a warmer Lehigh Valley. The region has moved into a warmer zone from the one where it was placed more than a decade ago. Experts say it has consequences for plant seasons and species.

Take a look at stories that ran throughout the week of which we are most proud, had a profound impact on readers or that you might want to look at again.

If you're doing anything outdoors, do it Saturday. Rain will arrive Sunday and is forecast to intensify later in the day, with gusty winds. The National Weather Service issued a flood watch for Sunday afternoon into Monday afternoon.

LANTA officials are reminding residents for caution when and if severe winter weather returns this season, and discussed what riders should do if they are unsure with the status of service after a storm

A sprawling storm system is expected to bring heavy rain, strong winds and snow to the region this weekend.

Chances are, you'll still be able to find a tree, it just might take a little extra work — and you might want to get it soon. Roger from Unangst Tree Farms explains the ins and outs of why this problem, a decade in the making, is now causing tree farms and stands to sell-out when it's barely December.

Almost 11,000 birds of prey were counted this year during the Lehigh Gap Nature Center’s annual autumn hawk watch as they made their way along the raptor "superhighway" in the Valley’s backyard.

A destructive storm system moving up the coast is expected to hit the Lehigh Valley on Sunday evening. The area likely won't see any severe weather today, but it is just bordering the potential to, graphics from the National Weather Service show.

Two bald eagles that shared a nest for years at Saucon Park in Bethlehem captured attention after the female bird died of bird flu last month. Now, the surviving male apparently has found a new mate.

Staff from Pocono Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Center took the drive to feed and water the bird, a Micronesian kingfisher, before its rescheduled flight. The rare bird is native to Guam.

A handful of Lehigh Valley farms are feeling the impact of the federal funding freeze. It's also causing a Harrisburg nonprofit focused on sustainable agriculture to announce furloughs starting next month.

Ruffian Tittmann will start her job as executive director of the Allentown Parknership at the end of March.

Last year was a big year for dam removals not only in the Lehigh Valley, but across Pennsylvania. The state was ranked first in the U.S. for the most outdated, unsafe and uneconomical dams removed in 2024.

The Pennsylvania Invasive Replace-ive Program encourages property owners to remove invasive plants by offering native replacements, for free, during events in May throughout the state.

This week, a surprise twist on the total lunar eclipse visible from the Lehigh Valley in the early morning hours of Friday, March 14th.

An invasive insect known for its voracious appetite that can defoliate millions of acres of forest, spongy moths have been an annual blight on the Valley and the rest of Pennsylvania for decades.

Formed in 2008, local weekend event in May features separate day of beer and wine tastings, followed by a for-kids-only day of art and science fun.

Center officials on Thursday opened the doors of its visitor and education center to highlight the building’s sustainable features. The Osprey House is an example of the opportunities nonprofit organizations can realize when it comes to energy efficiency, officials said.

A wind advisory was extended until 4 p.m. Friday in the Lehigh Valley and surrounding areas, with winds 15 to 25 mph and gusts of 35 to 50 mph expected.