February Weather Band Liner Notes

One of the AMS Weather Band’s themes for February is weather and health: looking at the various ways in which climate and the atmosphere interact with physical and mental wellbeing. Air pollution is and has been a major point of connection for atmosphere and health. Smoke from burning wood has been found in the tissue of mummies from Egypt and Peru. Ice cores from the Arctic have revealed that metalworking in medieval Europe increased the lead in the atmosphere by a factor of ten. Fast forward to modern times, and researchers presenting at the 2021 AMS Annual Meeting have been examining the impact of air pollution on the severity of COVID-19. 

To this end, we’ll follow the evolution of Vincent Schaefer’s research as his work moves from observations made to reduce wildfires, to cloud seeding, to studies of pollution over major cities. His work shows the many ways in which weather research can reveal and contribute to a larger understanding of human interactions with nature and the environment. 

In addition to this more historical series, we’ll be showcasing a number of research projects focused on other intersections of weather and health; from temperature and humidity impacts on chronic pain to how weather influences meningitis outbreaks in Africa and brand new insights into how a rapidly changing climate is and will change our sleep patterns. 

We look forward to talking about all of this in the Weather Band Community!