Environment & Science

While parts of the Lehigh Valley were able to get a glimpse of the Northern Lights over the weekend, weather conditions kept many from being able to enjoy the show. Now, the solar storm the pushed the aurora to the lower latitudes is waning.

WLVR’s Brad Klein reviews the week’s astronomical highlights with Bethlehem’s ‘Backyard Astronomy Guy,’ Marty McGuire. This week it's all about the star Regulus, which is part of the Leo constellation.

Christopher Sipos remembers his late-grandmother's love of birds but was pleasantly surprised to find her collection of antique baking soda trading cards that feature the feathered beauties.

Theis/Cornfeld Recycling Center in Bethlehem accepts recyclables not only from city residents, but the general public, too. There, residents can see how the process works, first-hand.

A handful of organic farms across the Lehigh Valley are welcoming residents and visitors this weekend to help their own gardens get growing.

State Sen. Lisa Boscola, D-Lehigh/Northampton, sponsored the bill. Any money collected will go toward bald and golden eagle conservation efforts.

Easton City Council heard presentations for improvements intended for Vanderveer and Centennial Parks at their Wednesday meeting, and while the refreshed spaces were well received, the question of cost is still a concern.

Showers and storms entering the region early Wednesday could produce gusty winds and heavier rainfall, the National Weather Service said. But clouds will clear as temperatures soar by the afternoon.

More than a dozen wild birds in Pennsylvania have so far been confirmed to have the strain of highly pathogenic avian influenza, or HPAI. The threat to humans is low.

In the April update for Lehigh Valley Breathes, a regionwide effort to monitor air quality amid emissions from trucking and warehousing, officials explained new EPA soot standards and how they could impact the project.

South Whitehall Township commissioners on Wednesday approved an ordinance that asks to add a ballot question requesting a tax increase intended to help support the preservation of open spaces.

Held at DeSales University’s Gerald White Conference Center, the day-long event drew several dozen participants, including students, teachers and local environmental advocates and leaders.

Lehigh and Northampton counties are again under a flood watch, this time from 3 p.m. Wednesday through 3 a.m. Thursday.

In the Lehigh Valley, 22 out of just the last 30 days have seen dew points at or above 70, meaning nearly three-quarters of recent days have been sticky enough to feel more like Florida than eastern Pennsylvania.

A project of the Pennsylvania Municipal League and Sustainable Pittsburgh, Sustainable Pennsylvania is a voluntary program focused on helping municipalities improve sustainability to save money, conserve resources and improve residents’ lives.

Allentown police can hand out tickets to anyone caught swimming in natural waterways in the city, Mayor Matt Tuerk said, urging residents not to let a $100 fine “ruin your summer.”

The city was awarded funding through a state Department of Environmental Protection grant to buy seven electric vehicles. However, more funding is needed for charging infrastructure.

The National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning for the Allentown, Bethlehem and Easton areas until 9:30 p.m. In the Emmaus area, more than 2 inches of rain had fallen in two hours, a meteorologist said.

This week, Brad Klein and Marty McGuire talk about an observatory making waves in the astro-photography world: the new Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile.

The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch for Lehigh and Northampton counties — along with much of eastern Pennsylvania and parts of New Jersey — from Monday afternoon through the evening.

Lehigh University now has six immersive learning experiences, or virtual reality games, aimed at engaging students, residents and visitors.

Applications open next week for the Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside of the Federal Highway Administration’s Surface Block Grant Program.