Environment & Science

A significant storm is set to soak the region this week, and it will come during the peak travel days ahead of Thanksgiving. Some areas could even see wintry precipitation.

While the goal is to transition communities to clean energy while creating jobs, there are still many unknowns about the projects. Even though there are two hubs slated for Pennsylvania, it could be a while before the Lehigh Valley’s residents begin to feel any impacts.

First introduced by state Sen. Lisa Boscola, D-Lehigh Valley, in 2015 and approved by the Senate in July, the bill would increase the fine and direct any monies collected towards bald and golden eagle conservation efforts across the commonwealth.

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.

Fred Buse, 87, of South Whitehall Township, has been tracking climate change in his backyard for decades. Every day he records the high and low temperatures, precipitation, insects, birds and other animals. He has written “Anticipation: The Effects of Climate and Environmental Changes on the Annual Cycle of Life on the Flora and Fauna in a Suburban Backyard,” which was published in 2021.

Pre-Thanksgiving storm ahead: Your best-laid plans to hit the road for the holiday could be upended next week, forecasters warn.

Officials announced Wednesday the start of its Climate Challenge as part of a broader Climate Action Plan, with goals of making sequential steps in steadily reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Weeks away from the official start of winter, the National Weather Service has established new winter storm warning criteria, officials confirmed late Monday.

City council on Wednesday will consider overriding Mayor Matt Tuerk's veto of council’s approved 2024 no-tax-increase budget, which did not include the position. Advocates still hope to find a way to a hire a sustainability manager.

Brad Klein reviews the week's astronomical highlights with Bethlehem’s "Backyard Astronomy Guy."

Record-warm ocean temperatures are likely to fuel the peak of hurricane season, scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Thursday.

For those who lost power in their homes due to the tornado that raced through Allentown on Monday, the first thought would be to call PPL. Think again.

It’s the peak of the annual Perseid meteor shower and WLVR’s Brad Klein speaks with a local amateur astronomer about how best to see meteors in the night sky.

An Allentown homeowner caught on video the moment an EF-1 tornado touched down in the city’s Midway Manor neighborhood on Monday night.

As cleanup continues from Monday’s severe weather, the Lehigh Valley will see a period of rain Thursday that could bring localized flooding to some areas.

The National Weather Service determined damages during a severe thunderstorm Monday night were from straight-line winds as high as 100 mph, but no tornadoes touched down there.

The National Weather Service rated the tornado as an EF-1 — the second-weakest on the scale. It hit the Midway Manor neighborhood of Allentown and crossed into Bethlehem briefly, according to a weather service statement.

A National Weather Service survey team confirmed a tornado touched down in Allentown’s Midway Manor neighborhood Monday night on the east side, but the twister was unwarned.

Starting at 9 a.m., officials from Princeton Hydro, a New Jersey-based engineering consultant, will treat the lake’s shoreline via airboat to tamp down invasive Phragmites, a genus of four species of large perennial reed grasses.

The ordinance adjustments approved Monday night would align the township with the state model for stormwater management guidance.

Neighbors in the Midway Manor neighborhood of Allentown reported seeing a twister as the storm tore through the city's East Side on Monday night. There were no reports of serious injuries, but property damage was extensive.

A severe storm knocked out power to thousands in Lehigh County and sent Musikfest revelers searching for cover Monday night. As of 6 a.m. Tuesday, 16,000 customers have lost power.