Environment & Science

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.

The company on Tuesday filed a notice of appeal to the Commonwealth Court, according to court documents.

Five of North America’s smallest falcon, four male and one female, were banded in an effort to help researchers study and bolster the declining species.

The White Haven Trail, part of the D&L Trail that stretches through the Lehigh Valley, has been resurfaced, and improvements have been made to the trailhead.

WLVR's Megan Frank talks with LehighValleyNews.com Managing Producer Stephanie Sigafoos and Health Reporter Brittany Sweeney.

If you don't like the Lehigh Valley's weather, just wait a minute. The next few days will offer a little something for everyone.

The Lehigh Valley is under a code red alert. Here's what you should know about Thursday's municipal and school district activity cancellations and reopenings.

The latest map issued by the U.S. Drought Monitor shows a majority of Pennsylvania — including most of the Lehigh Valley — in a moderate drought.

Air quality in the Lehigh Valley is expected to be a little bit better on Thursday, though we're back under a code red alert for the second straight day.

Downed trees and power outages were the result of a powerful storm that pounded the Lehigh Valley on Wednesday night.

In an update Thursday morning, PPL said crews saw significant damage from downed trees and limbs that caused more than 1,000 individual damage locations. Since the storm, it has restored power for more than 85,000 customers.

A severe thunderstorm brought wind gusts approaching 60 mph, heavy rain and hail to Lehigh and Northampton counties early Wednesday night. Utility companies reported thousands in the dark.

Another day of sweltering temperatures will transition to a night of severe weather across the region, and concern has shifted to timing on when storms are expected to fire.

Near unrelenting heat has become a reality in the Lehigh Valley to kick off summer, putting the area at risk for rapid onset drought — a term that’s part of a new outlook issued by the Climate Prediction Center.

Another surge of heat and humidity is on the way for the Lehigh Valley, with the possibility that severe storms could rattle the region on Wednesday afternoon and evening.

Venus, the planet: Morning star, evening star, or just being itself?

The severe thunderstorm watch comes amid a heat wave that looks to break Monday as a cooler air mass mercifully moves into the region Sunday night.

Excessive heat warnings have been posted in parts of the northeastern U.S. with heat indices of 105 to 110 degrees. Forecasters issued an excessive heat warning for southeastern Pennsylvania. As for Saturday, we're expected to hit a high of 96 in the Lehigh Valley.

One trick is to be sure to water plants at the base — not the leaves — to ensure the roots absorb the water. "Everybody waters the plant, but you need to water the soil," says one nursery manager.

The Lehigh Valley ranks as the eighth-highest industrial market in the U.S., it was disclosed at a Lehigh Valley Planning Commission roundtable meeting on Friday.

This week, Megan Frank is joined by environment and science reporter Molly Bilinski, and Northampton County reporter Ryan Gaylor.