Environment & Science

A sun-splashed Sunday may have felt like the beginning of summer, but temperatures Monday soared into record-breaking territory, the National Weather Service said.

This week, WLVR’s Brad and Bethlehem’s ‘Backyard Astronomy Guy,’ Marty McGuire discuss the planet Jupiter. All winter it has been among the brightest objects in the night sky. But soon it will disappear.

Two Lehigh Valley municipalities this year participated in Penn State’s Local Climate Action Program. Here's how the program works to create a greenhouse gas inventory and, from those findings, a climate action plan.

The National Weather Service said early next week will look to bring some of the warmest temperatures we have seen thus far in the Lehigh Valley.

More than $5.5 million is set to go toward non-point source projects in Bethlehem Township and over $2 million will cover wastewater improvements in Bangor Borough.

Pennsylvania's third most populous region received a "C" grade from the American Lung Association and ranked fourth-worst in the mid-Atlantic for ozone pollution. But, it's better than last year’s rankings in the annual "State of the Air" report.

The Lehigh Valley Comprehensive Planning Committee on Tuesday agreed to add new definitions for ordinances in Plainfield Township addressing the keeping and raising of chickens at residential properties.

Fahy Commons was named the first project in the world to achieve a rigorous sustainability certification for buildings that reward projects for more energy than they use. The 20,000-square-foot, three-floor building cost $13.2 million and opened to students last January.

This year, Earth Day falls on April 22. But for Lehigh Valley businesses that embrace more sustainable efforts, no matter the cost, it's just another typical Monday.

“Public Participation, Public Power: A Community Guide to Local Land Use Decision-Making in Pennsylvania" was released Monday. The almost-100-page guide includes explanations of state and local land use laws and more.

Northampton County Park and Recreation Division will host the Greenways Jamboree Celebration, marking their 50th anniversary, in tandem with the 20th anniversary of the Lehigh Valley Greenways Conservation Landscape Partnership and the 28th Annual Lehigh River Sojourn.

Three Lehigh Valley researchers are arguing bird-strike fatalities are much higher than we might think. They recently published a peer-reviewed study showing bird deaths from window strikes are nearly double previous estimates, and likely higher.

The colleges have formed a partnership to build and bring online a solar facility in western Kentucky. When completed, the facility will offset electricity usage at the institutions, effectively reducing greenhouse gas emissions from electricity generation to zero.

The main threat will come later Monday and Monday night with a cold front that creates the possibility of strong winds and hail – even a tornado, said meteorologist Bobby Martrich of EPAWA Weather Consulting.

Essentially a scholastic scrimmage for environmental science, the annual Envirothon combines classroom learning and outdoor activities to engage students in the environment. The state competition was held Wednesday at Camp Mt. Luther in Mifflinburg.

As residents and tourists explore the region’s many parks, bike trails and scenic overlooks — May is recognized as National Lyme Disease Awareness Month — health and environmental officials are cautioning visitors to check for ticks after their outdoor adventures.

A first-quarter log documents over 160 complaints from addresses in Lower Saucon, Hellertown, Freemansburg, Bethlehem Township and the outskirts of Easton. Landfill operators say they're responding.

A turbulent morning of storms brought significant damage to parts of the Lehigh Valley on Thursday, with estimated wind speeds of 60 to 70 mph, meteorologists confirmed.

The thunderstorm Thursday morning packed heavy wind gusts, rain and hail in some spots. It ended almost as suddenly as it began. PPL reported 22,000 without power in Lehigh and Northampton counties.

Easton City Council approved a pair of resolutions which will allow them to apply for $15 million in federal grants, which they hope to use to improve the wastewater plant and sewage lines in the city.

The state Department of Environmental Protection announced $980,000 in grants to promote environmental education and stewardship across the state. Two Lehigh Valley programs received pieces of funding.

Optimism reigns that much of Memorial Day weekend will be a lot more pleasant than forecasters first suspected. Here's what the Lehigh Valley can expect.