Environment & Science

This week is a good one to spot the planets that are visible in the night sky, both in evenings and early mornings.

EPAWA meteorologist Bobby Martrich said, “While the milder outlooks that are out there have merit and support, it’s not as cut and dry as it seems and there can be some surprises, especially earlier in winter.”

Easton's Nurture Nature Center is hosting a free star party in Scott Park from 7 to 10 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 19, offering use of their telescopes and the expertise of their staff to help budding stargazers.

Wildlands Conservancy, as well as other partners and stakeholders, on Tuesday marked the completion of restoration work on the Bushkill Creek at Lafayette College with a celebration and wildflower-planting.

The commonwealth’s fourth fall foliage report was released Thursday. Here's the forecast for the coming week in Lehigh and Northampton counties.

Infinera, a semiconductor company with a facility in Upper Macungie Township, inked a preliminary deal with the federal government to expand its production locally and in California. The agreement is part of a bipartisan effort to boost domestic production of essential high-tech resources to protect the national supply chain and create high-paying tech jobs.

The city is also set to receive $5.7 million in federal funds to reduce lead-based paint hazards.

Spray-Tek, 3010 Avenue B, was issued a malodor violation in mid-August. It is at least the second time Spray-Tek has been cited in the past two years. The DEP is reviewing the company's corrective action plan.

The Allentown Environmental Advisory Council's residency requirement has been "a bit of a stumbling block" as members work to fill vacancies.

Once filled, the city will be the second in the Lehigh Valley to carve out a position for a dedicated sustainability manager. The job requires overseeing environmental initiatives and guiding the city's climate action plan.

The Lehigh Valley Planning Commission last week released a draft of its Priority Climate Action Plan, a document almost a year in the making aimed at tamping down the region’s carbon emissions and mitigating the effects of climate change.

The National Weather Service issued the warning Saturday afternoon for parts of Lehigh and Northampton counties, extending into Carbon County.

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.

Five farms, three in Lehigh County and two in Northampton County, were the latest to be included in the commonwealth’s Farmland Preservation Program, along with more than a dozen others across the state.

Some areas reported almost 14 inches of snow, with flakes the size of cotton balls. Other areas got just a few inches. Said a National Weather Service meteorologist: 'I completely understand the shock factor.'

The Lehigh Valley is under a winter weather advisory in effect from 10 p.m. Friday to 10 a.m. Saturday, with a chance the snowfall that could overperform in parts of the region.

WLVR's Megan Frank talks with journalists Molly Bilinski and Phil Gianficaro.

Presidents Day weekend is approaching, and historically the period has been prime time for big storms. That won't be the case Friday, but a few inches of snow are possible in the Lehigh Valley.

A Lehigh Valley resident was recognized as a “Volunteer of the Year” for 2023 by Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful, a statewide nonprofit that focuses on litter cleanups and community improvements.

Less than 24 hours removed from the Lehigh Valley’s heaviest snowfall in three years, forecasters have a word of advice to offer: don’t put the shovel away just yet.

Tuesday's fast-moving storm swept quickly through the Lehigh Valley but packed a wallop, bringing nearly a foot of snow to several spots.

“This has been a tremendously difficult storm to forecast due to rapidly changing conditions/temperatures expected and the difference in timing,” the National Weather Service said in its forecast discussion.