Maryland pursuing actions to control invasive catfish after federal fisheries disaster declined

BALTIMORE, MD—Last month, the U.S. Department of Commerce notified Maryland Governor Wes Moore that it had declined Maryland’s request for a federal commercial fisheries disaster declaration that was sought to help address the economic and ecological damage caused by the spread of invasive catfish and snakeheads in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Maryland made the unique request in March as a […]

Governor Moore announces new annual record for Chesapeake Bay oyster planting

ANNAPOLIS, MD—Governor Wes Moore this week announced that more than 1.7 billion new juvenile oysters have been planted on sanctuary and public oyster fishery sites in Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay this year, surpassing an ambitious 2023 planting goal and setting a new annual record. The milestone means that the state has planted almost 7 billion oysters since launching its large-scale oyster […]

Northern Lights may be visible in Maryland this week

BALTIMORE, MD—If you’ve always wanted to get a peek at the Northern Lights, this could be your week. The Northern Lights, A.K.A. the aurora borealis, could be visible in parts of Maryland on Thursday, July 13, 2023, according to DelMarVaNow.com. The University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute forecasts that auroral activity will be high this Thursday, with hyperactive light displays […]

NOAA predicts a near-normal 2023 Atlantic hurricane season

BALTIMORE, MD—NOAA forecasters with the Climate Prediction Center, a division of the National Weather Service, predict near-normal hurricane activity in the Atlantic this year. NOAA’s outlook for the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season, which goes from June 1 to November 30, predicts a 40% chance of a near-normal season, a 30% chance of an above-normal season and a 30% chance of […]

2023 Chesapeake Bay Blue Crab Winter Dredge Survey shows increase in adult crab population

BALTIMORE, MD—The Chesapeake Bay Blue Crab Winter Dredge Survey, a cooperative effort between the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS), estimates 323 million blue crabs in the Chesapeake Bay in 2023, an increase from last year’s low of 227 million crabs. The number of spawning age female crabs increased from 97 million crabs […]

White powder from New Mexico dust storm spotted in Maryland, West Virginia

BALTIMORE, MD—No, that’s not pollen.  White powder from a mid-week dust storm has been spotted falling from the skies in parts of West Virginia and Maryland. The dust began appearing in the eastern panhandle of West Virginia on Thursday night and by Friday morning, it was also falling in western Maryland. The Hampshire County 911 Center on Thursday night asked […]

Governor Hogan announces Maryland Mesonet weather tower project to enhance state’s critical infrastructure, preparedness [VIDEO]

ANNAPOLIS, MD—Governor Larry Hogan this week announced a groundbreaking partnership between the State of Maryland and the University of Maryland to build and operate the Maryland Mesonet, a state-of-the-art network of 75 weather-observing towers across the state that will provide real-time community-level monitoring and improve situational awareness during rapidly changing weather conditions. “The Maryland Mesonet partnership we are announcing…through a […]