Environment & Science

The council voted 3-2, approving the preparation of a new landfill ordinance, all while the original proposal is under court review.

Storms today could bring damaging winds, large hail, flash flooding or even a tornado or two across the region. The Lehigh Valley is now under an enhanced risk for severe weather.

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.

Lehigh Valley Zoo officials this week publicly announced the birth of a bison calf, adding to the population boom of new animals at the zoo this year.

The greater potential impact with heavier showers and thunderstorms looks to be Friday and Monday, meteorologists say, with scattered storms over the weekend.

Pools around the Lehigh Valley participated in the World's Largest Swim Lesson with free sessions Thursday. Kids jumped in the wave pool at Dorney Park and Cedar Beach Pool in Allentown.

Several area pools participated in the national event on June 22, 2023.

The danger of lightning is being highlighted by the National Weather Service during Lightning Safety Awareness Week, with five lightning fatalities nationwide so far this year and storms in the forecast in the days ahead.

The industrial waste discharge permit between the city of Bethlehem and Bethlehem Landfill is set to expire June 30. Experts demand more thorough water testing as well as accountability from the landfill.

Senator Bob Casey visited the chemical and gas company Air Products at its headquarters. Company engineers took him for a drive in a new hydrogen-powered Toyota.

Preliminary testing showed the presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza. Sick birds were also found at both locations.

January is National Radon Action Month. Public health officials are urging residents to stay informed of the risks, test and support legislative efforts to increase testing.

While Friday may only bring a dusting to an inch of snow for the Lehigh Valley, forecasters say it could be a sign of things to come. They're watching trends for Monday continue to pull the next system north.

The Lehigh Valley Audubon Society, in partnership with the Lehigh Gap Nature Center, is holding its 10th annual Christmas Bird Count for Kids on Saturday, Jan. 11.

The National Weather Service said Monday the scenario will lead to “exceptionally high probabilities of below-normal temperatures expected across much of the East," but the true intensity of the cold is still unknown.

More than 300 Met-Ed customers were impacted by damage to three poles when a tree fell into lines near South Delaware Drive in Easton, which reportedly closed the road as well.

A look back to the weather headlines that dominated 2024, and what's to come for the Lehigh Valley. Could a cold and snowy January be on tap?

Depending on cloud cover, the Lehigh Valley could see a lunar eclipse between midnight on March 13 through early morning March 14. A solar eclipse could peak just after midnight on March 29.

“It doesn’t matter what amount it is, it’s still treacherous on area roadways,” EPAWA meteorologist Bobby Martrich said in his latest video update.

Temperatures will drop below freezing across the area late Friday night and early Saturday, likely setting the stage for a period of freezing rain, according to the National Weather Service.

Administered by Pennsylvania Organization for Watersheds and Rivers, or POWR, with funding from the DCNR, officials said the effort aims to elevate public awareness of specific rivers and recognize important conservation needs and achievements.

With temperatures in the 20s overnight, snow is expected for the southern Poconos, northern New Jersey and the Lehigh Valley, though accumulations should generally be less than one inch.