Environment & Science

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.

More than three dozen projects in the Valley were awarded grants, receiving about 7% of the total funding awarded. Statewide, $335 million in grants were announced Wednesday.

"Turn around, don't drown", warned a spokesperson for PennDOT. More than once today, people in the Valley have had to be rescued from their cars after driving into water that shut their engines off, trapping the drivers.

Some parts of the Lehigh Valley saw more than four inches of rain from Sunday into Monday, with precipitation still falling.

Schools are closing early and a large swath of the region is under a flood warning until at least 3:15 p.m. as the storm system that inundated the area overnight moves north.

The winter, or December, solstice takes place this year between sundown on Dec. 21 and sunrise Dec. 22

The Lehigh Valley Planning Commission at 11 a.m. on Wednesday is holding a meeting at its Allentown office to brainstorm and prioritize ways to decarbonize transportation across the region. Decarbonization is the process of reducing or eliminating carbon dioxide emissions.

The area could see wind gusts up to 60 mph tonight, with windy conditions persisting into tomorrow, including frigid wind chills. Plus, a look at what forecasters are saying about the potential for snow later this week.

A Northampton County farm was one of the latest group to be included in Pennsylvania’s Farmland Preservation Program. The program aims to ward off development and protect open spaces.

Unable to fly and rescued from Saucon Park on Thursday, the female bald eagle was set for a 10-day quarantine at the Wilderz at Pocono Wildlife in Hamilton Township, Monroe County. The mother bird died early Friday at the wildlife center.

The National Weather Service has issued a wind watch for winds 25 to 35 mph with gusts of 50 to 60 mph possible for the Lehigh Valley and portions of central, northern and northwest New Jersey and east central and southeast Pennsylvania.

Easton is hiring a sustainability coordinator. It marks the third of the Valley's major cities to carve out a position dedicated to sustainability initiatives and fighting the worsening impacts of climate change.

It's the third time the Delaware River has won the title. Previous wins were in 2002 and 2017.

The Lehigh Valley will begin the weekend under a winter weather advisory in effect from noon Saturday until 1 a.m. Sunday.

Some salt sheds across the region could be down to their final grains, officials said Thursday, as reports of a rock salt shortage spread through the region and well beyond.

The state's dairy industry has officially reached "HPAI-free" status after rigorous testing in Pennsylvania dairy cattle for highly pathogenic avian influenza. Other states have detected bird flu in their cattle though, so the state will continue to monitor and test cattle.

Sarah DeGrendel was recently hired as the city’s first sustainability manager. The position focuses on creating and facilitating sustainability initiatives while capturing grant funding to cover the cost of related projects.

Because of the timing, the National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory from 4 p.m. until midnight for total snow and sleet accumulations of a coating to one inch and ice accumulations around a light glaze.

Months after a fire tore through Blue Mountain, the community continues to support the fire departments who helped battle the blaze. This time, that support comes in form of monetary donations.