Environment & Science

The commonwealth's six-week leaf-peeping season has begun. Here's when in the Lehigh Valley can expect peak colors, as well as some of the best places to see fall foliage.

Lehigh Valley Breathes is a Valley-wide effort to monitor air quality amid emissions from trucking and warehousing. The project is expected to run for a year.

Remember Ophelia? The tropical system that recently brought days of dreary weather to the Lehigh Valley is back. Sort of.

A local initiative to develop a sustainable farm food infrastructure was instrumental in Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding choosing to appear in Easton to announce the theme for the 2024 state Farm Show in Harrisburg.

A new tool announced Tuesday lets Bethlehem Township residents report flooding and other stormwater issues which are common in the township.

Wildlands Conservancy bought the Carbon County land, which included a Lehigh River tributary, transferring ownership to the state Game Commission. Advocates aim to ward off development and protect the health of the river.

A community healing garden is now open to patients and the public at Lehigh Valley Hospital Muhlenberg. Peter Yenawine, along with the Auxiliary of Lehigh Valley Hospital and master gardeners, teamed up to create the space incorporating native and medicinal plants.

The remnants of Ophelia will drift slowly southward and offshore through Wednesday, the National Weather Service said, bringing a raw start to the week for the Lehigh Valley.

In a recent national report, Pennsylvania received a failing grade in its regulation and treatment of lead in schools’ water. Six local schools have reported unacceptable levels of lead since 2018, and one expert says some of the remediation methods they used are less than perfect.

No longer a tropical storm, the remnants of Ophelia will have an impact on the Lehigh Valley weather at least into Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service forecast. Expect showers throughout Sunday.

High pressure originating from the Great Lakes is shifting offshore on Sunday, paving the way for an approaching cold front and unsettled conditions.

The fellowship focuses on bolstering students who show interest and promise in leadership and social impact. Of the more than 44,000 applications submitted, only 4,000 were accepted.

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.

The mud-colored salamander–also known as a snot otter, mud devil, and Allegheny alligator–can grow to be two feet long, and can live up to 30 years.

This year's Bake Oven Knob Autumn Hawk Watch has so far recorded more than 1,000 migrating birds of prey, not including the dozens logged Thursday morning.

How much snow is coming this winter? Model ensembles and long-range outlooks are starting to yield some clues.

Officials at Jacobsburg Environmental Education Center on Wednesday held their annual "Monarch Madness" tagging event. Four male and two female monarchs were tagged.

Just days away from the official start of fall, forecasters say the Lehigh Valley will see a long stretch of dry weather and seasonal temperatures ahead.

Residents can anticipate a flood watch in effect for a significant portion of the area Tuesday night and throughout Wednesday, as heavy rainfall from showers and thunderstorms is expected.

Leaf-peeper season is right around the corner. Here's when to be on the lookout for pops of brilliant yellows, oranges and reds across the landscape.

Kathleen Covalt, who teaches online classes through Northampton Community College for adults interested in learning about unidentified anomalous phenomena, or UAPs, said there's hope for future disclosures.

A stalled front will take a parting shot at the Lehigh Valley on Monday, bringing additional showers, thunderstorms and possible downpours, forecasters say.