Environment & Science

This New Year’s Day, tens of thousands of people across the country, including dozens in the Valley, will take a guided hike through a state park to mark the beginning of 2024.

December 2023 is now the wettest December on record in the Lehigh Valley, with a total of 8.17 inches of rainfall recorded as of 11:59 p.m. Wednesday. The high water mark was set during a day of record rain for Dec. 27.

The ski slopes just southeast of Lehigh County announced it would shut down at 3:00 p.m. Tuesday, awaiting colder weather to make snow

With a forecast projecting 1 to 1.5 inches of rain possible this week, the Lehigh Valley will move closer to its wettest December ever.

Lawmakers in Harrisburg passed nearly three dozen laws last week in a final burst of action as they held their last voting session of the year.

Look for the full moon on Wednesday, Dec. 27

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.

On Dec. 21 at approximately 10:27 p.m. EST, we’ll begin the winter solstice north of the equator. Will the change of season finally bring snow?

It might seem counterintuitive, but harvesting holiday trees year after year is better for the environment than using an artificial one, experts said, especially amid the proliferation of plastic piling up in landfills.

Officials on Wednesday reviewed several preliminary transportation policy strategies for the Valley's priority climate action plan. The plan’s focus is to reduce carbon emissions from transportation, a significant driver of greenhouse gas emissions across the region.

North Whitehall Board of Supervisors on Monday hired engineering consultant Gilmore & Associates to create an Open Space Action Plan for the township.

Musikfest organizers have already eliminated paper food and beverage tickets, and started using renewable energy sources to power tents, vendors and beer trucks – but the work continues to make the event more environmentally-friendly.

The Lehigh Valley will begin to see impacts from Tropical Cyclone Debby on Tuesday, forecasters warn, calling expected rainfall a ‘predecessor’ event as the storm begins to crawl up the coast.

This week, Watching the Skies gives an update on the International Space Station, which is currently hosting two ‘extra’ American astronauts.

Saturday’s weather plagued Musikfest and there’s a chance more of the same is in store Sunday for the Lehigh Valley region. After a sunny Monday, heavy rain is in the forecast Tuesday.

Following a severe thunderstorm yesterday, the Lehigh Valley should brace for more intense weather

Downpours and thunderstorms are expected to ramp up across the region heading into the weekend. Here's what to expect if you have outdoor plans, especially if you're heading to Musikfest in Bethlehem.

Over the past few days, Lehigh Valley residents have complained of bad smells wafting through Bethlehem and surrounding areas. Residents have described the most recent heavy odor as a rotting smell.

Another wave of heat is forecast for the Lehigh Valley and a large swath of the region in the coming days, with heat index values up to 100 degrees expected, the National Weather Service said.

ArtsQuest has a plan to keep people safe and hydrated as temperatures rise later this week. But once again, dodging storms on a couple of nights could be the weather headline of Musikfest 2024, says EPAWA meteorologist Bobby Martrich.

One of the best chances to ‘catch a falling star’ is the Perseid meteor shower. And the evening of Aug. 12 and early morning of Aug. 13 should be the peak night for this annual event.

“Noticing a haziness to the sky today? That is due to the smoke spreading into the region aloft from the wildfires in western North America,” the National Weather Service said on X.