Environment & Science

The remnants of Ophelia will drift slowly southward and offshore through Wednesday, the National Weather Service said, bringing a raw start to the week for the Lehigh Valley.

In a recent national report, Pennsylvania received a failing grade in its regulation and treatment of lead in schools’ water. Six local schools have reported unacceptable levels of lead since 2018, and one expert says some of the remediation methods they used are less than perfect.

No longer a tropical storm, the remnants of Ophelia will have an impact on the Lehigh Valley weather at least into Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service forecast. Expect showers throughout Sunday.

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.

A sunrise observance was held Saturday at the private, nonprofit park to mark the transition from summer to fall. The park features dozens of stone settings strategically placed throughout more than 20 acres.

The storm is expected to cause heavy rainfall across the Mid-Atlantic states, potentially leading to flash and urban flooding. Easton's PorchFest has been postponed to Oct. 1.

A tropical system that was officially named Ophelia on Friday will drench the East Coast this weekend, including the Lehigh Valley, officials said.

The free festival runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the center. The schedule includes nature walks, live animal presentations, monarch butterfly tagging, music and more.

Northampton County and its conservation district appear poised to split after a County Council committee meeting Wednesday showed deep distrust between them

Lehigh Valley Breathes, a Valley-wide effort, aims to measure air quality. From the collected data, officials said they will make recommendations for improvements.

Staff and volunteers at the sanctuary have monitored the autumnal migration since 1934 as part of conservation research efforts. It’s the longest-running raptor migration count in the world.

A pack of wolves will appear at the Allentown Fair as part of the free entertainment. One of the wolves will meet attendees. A tour of their den is also scheduled.

The Lehigh Valley will go beyond its average 90-degree window this year, with a heat advisory in effect and highs in the mid-90s expected Wednesday. But are the ingredients there for storms to fire?

Nine projects across Pennsylvania are included in the round of funding, awarded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Specialty Crop Block Grant Program. The projects focus on research, marketing, apprenticeships and sustainability for mushrooms, apples, potatoes and other crops.

Less than a month after a strong, bad smell permeated through the city and surrounding areas for several days, prompting a state Department of Environmental Protection investigation, the odor has returned.

Lehigh Valley Breathes is behind schedule from the course established in August 2023. Here's what officials have learned so far — and how they plan to proceed.

The Lehigh Valley has been reshaped by a massive wave of development, both in industrial and residential, that has swept over the region the last three decades. While the development boom may be slowing, the impacts to the region’s economy and the environment are clear. (First of 5 parts)

After temperatures that felt more like October than August last week, forecasters say the Lehigh Valley will return to summer in a big way this week. Near-record heat is expected Wednesday.

The planets Jupiter and Mars will share a small patch of the eastern sky with the crescent moon, and the star Aldebaran on August 27. Here's how to see it.

A renewable natural gas plant adjacent to the Bethlehem Landfill opened on Tuesday morning.

“We have cooler air coming in," Lehigh Valley meteorologist Bobby Martrich said in his latest update. "Cooler air and refreshing air coming in for the next several days.” How far will temperatures fall?

More than 5 inches of rain was reported to have fallen in parts of the Lehigh Valley on Sunday, according to official data from the National Weather Service.