Following two decades of close collaboration, we are excited to announce that the Office of the Washington State Climatologist is joining the UW Climate Impacts Group. With a shared commitment to advancing climate services, this collaboration marks a significant step towards a more unified approach to addressing climate-related challenges in our state and region. 

This strategic decision brings together two leading organizations dedicated to understanding the region’s weather and its impacts on time scales of days to decades. The Office of the Washington State Climatologist has long been recognized for its expertise in interpreting and contextualizing today’s weather and climate trends within the broader context of climate change. The Climate Impacts Group is well regarded for co-producing knowledge that government leaders, non-profits, businesses and communities use to prepare for the effects of climate change. 

The State Climatologist will maintain its brand, identity and mission, even as the organizations merge. Nick Bond, state climatologist, and Karin Bumbaco, deputy state climatologist, will continue to lead the Climatologist Office. Bond will join the leadership team of the Climate Impacts Group. The Office will continue to prioritize effectively communicating with the public, state and local government and other entities.

Bond expressed enthusiasm about the partnership, stating, “Our collaboration with the Climate Impacts Group will leverage our complementary strengths, allowing us to accelerate climate action in the state. Together, we will foster more climate-ready communities, economies and ecosystems.”

The decision to join forces is rooted in the long-standing collaboration between the two organizations. Jason Vogel, interim director of the Climate Impacts Group, commented, “The addition of the Office of the Washington State Climatologist to our group will further deepen our relationship, enabling us to chart a course for climate adaptation that is both scientific and actionable.”

With this move, the State Climatologist will now be administratively housed within EarthLab, an institute at the College of the Environment that is working across the University of Washington and connecting with communities to catalyze equitable and just action on climate change.  

“We are thrilled to welcome the Office of the Washington State Climatologist as part of the greater EarthLab community,” said Ben Packard, the Harriet Bullitt endowed executive director of EarthLab. “The combined expertise of these two organizations will undoubtedly serve a critical role supporting meaningful climate action on a regional level.”

EarthLab has been home to the Climate Impacts Group since 2017 and expands capacity for nine member organizations—University of Washington centers and initiatives that are working on complex environmental problems. This new partnership between the Office of the Washington State Climatologist and the Climate Impacts Group within EarthLab supports the College of the Environment’s strategic goal to build a stronger, more connected community to enhance environmental knowledge and impact.

About the Office of the Washington State Climatologist:

The Office of the Washington State Climatologist is a dedicated team of climate experts specializing in analyzing weather and climate trends within the broader context of climate change. Their work provides critical insights into climate patterns and their implications for the Pacific Northwest.

About the Climate Impacts Group:

The University of Washington Climate Impacts Group builds climate resilience by advancing understanding of climate risks and enabling science-based action to manage those risks.

They are widely recognized for scientific discovery, as an experienced creator of impartial and actionable science on identifying and managing climate risks, and as a catalyst and supporter of regional efforts to build climate resilience.

About EarthLab:

EarthLab is an innovative institute at the UW College of the Environment that is taking equitable and just action on climate change. They connect people across the UW with each other and with the wider community, invest in co-created research, build capacity for environmental research and training & mentor the next generation of climate leaders.