Environment & Science

A mother bear and her cubs are nestled under the deck of a Pike County home, and you can peek in on them 24/7. The camera is expected to be up until late March or early April, when the bears leave the den.

Based on history alone, fans of winter should be optimistic. But El Niño doesn't just affect one season, and scientists warn its possible return is a major cause for concern. Here's what we know so far.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection lifted a drought watch for five counties, including Northampton County.

The rule was published earlier this month and applies to all 3,117 water systems. Both chemicals belong to the group of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known collectively as PFAS, which are used in products such as nonstick cookware, carpets, firefighting foam and fast-food wrappers.

A winter weather advisory remains in effect until 4 p.m. Wednesday, with snow coming down in a predicted burst across much of the Lehigh Valley.

The Palmer Township supervisors rejected a proposal for a 185,000-square-foot manufacturing center near a housing development in the northern end of the township.

The Lehigh Valley Planning Commission's comprehensive planning committee gave preliminary approval for a warehouse development in Upper Saucon Township and a recycling plant in Plainfield Township.

A storm system is forecast to approach the Lehigh Valley on Wednesday and bring with it a variety of wintry hazards, prompting the National Weather Service to issue a winter weather advisory.

A complex storm system is taking aim at the Lehigh Valley on Wednesday, and the midweek event could bring an extended period of snow to the area. But forecasters caution the "warm nose" of the storm could spoil the event for some.

With all the precipitation that's fallen — 5.86 inches since Dec. 1 — we could've been buried under 58+ inches of snow so far this winter. But those storm systems haven't had much cold air to interact with, and it's made all the difference.

It’s not unprecedented, but it is a little bit too early for the kind of warmth the Lehigh Valley will see next week, said meteorologist Bobby Martrich.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday released the results of the agency's "7th Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment." Pennsylvania ranked only behind Florida, Illinois and Ohio for the most lead service lines.

Firefighters battled a massive fire at a warehouse in West Easton early Tuesday, with multiple explosions heard from the property. The fire was declared under control after more than five hours.

A new North Whitehall Township plan that considers building a skate park, amphitheater, disc golf, splash pads and more as outdoors activities increase got township supervisors' approval Monday.

The Monocacy Creek Watershed Association and Bethlehem's Environmental Advisory Council are hosting a spring clean-up April 8 at Monocacy Creek. Last year, volunteers collected more than 2,000 lbs. of garbage.

A line of storms that spared the Lehigh Valley on Saturday raked the Philadelphia region and surrounding areas, with eight tornadoes confirmed by the National Weather Service.

Two of the Lehigh Valley's major cities are considering bans on single-use plastic bags. Here's where the proposals stand.

Panera Bread recently announced a new technology partnership with Amazon, which will allow loyalty members to use their palms to pay and ordering through select Alexa devices. It's unclear when they changes will comes to the Lehigh Valley.

The Lehigh Valley is under a severe weather threat Saturday that includes the possibility of tornadic activity in the region.

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

There are plenty of ways to enjoy the natural features of the Lehigh Valley this spring.

Attendees at the meeting in Lower Saucon Township heard from a new expert witness: the traffic engineer who completed the respective transportation impact analysis.