Climate change and sea level rise are already driving our high tides higher, leading to increased coastal flooding along Maine’s shores. We're excited to partner with Envision Resilience to host a Coastal Meet-Up in Portland on Friday, April 11 at 3:00 pm, where we’ll invite you to engage in our coastal flooding community science project. After the meet-up, join our team and Envision Resilience at SPACE Gallery from 4:30 – 6:00 pm for conversation and light bites amidst Envision Resilience: Shifting Tides and Evolving Landscapes. The exhibit showcases innovative designs for resilient coastal infrastructure created by students in the 2024 Envision Resilience Portland and South Portland Challenge. Learn more and register here: https://www.gmri.org/events/portland-coastal-meet-up-envision-resilience-exhibition/ (fb)

Curious why it’s so chilly in April?! We actually have a really interesting atmospheric phenomenon occurring! Read on to hear from GMRI coastal dynamics scientist Katie Giannakopoulos about what's going on First, we need to discuss the polar vortex. The polar vortex is a circulation of winds that blow counterclockwise around the Arctic in the stratosphere. It usually develops in the late fall due to an increased temperature difference between the Arctic and equator (larger temperature difference = stronger winds). The polar vortex is sustained throughout the winter before collapsing usually in mid to late April, although the exact timing varies year to year. While the polar vortex is present in the Arctic throughout the whole winter, the strength of it varies depending on other atmospheric conditions. When it is strong, it is circular in shape and keeps all the cold Arctic air in place in the Arctic. When it is weakened, it is warmer than normal and causes disruptions to the jet stream below, leading to cold air “dumps” in North America. One relatively rare but major disruption is a Sudden Stratospheric Warming (SSW), and one occurred in mid-March. During an SSW, there is a rapid rise in temperature (and thus an increase in pressure) in the Arctic stratosphere, which weakens the circulating polar vortex winds and, in some cases, causes the wind to change direction or the polar vortex to split into two separate vortices - which is pretty wild! These changes have a delayed effect on our weather and can lead to atmospheric patterns that favor cold weather, like what we're experiencing now. (fb)