The Washington State Climate Office (formerly called the Office of the Washington State Climatologist) has released a new strategic plan to guide their future work. Among several key priorities, the strategic plan emphasizes engaging with decision makers and communities and co-producing applied research. 

Building off of their long history of providing climate data and information for local and state governments, communities, tribes and other organizations, the Washington State Climate Office will develop new long-term partnerships with priority stakeholders, help build capacity among key partners and cultivate applied and multi-disciplinary research collaborations. The Office will also explore new avenues of funding to help grow and sustain themselves over the long-term. 

One key focus area will be to replicate their successful drought partnership with state agencies, for example by focusing on a new effort of sharing weather and climate information with state and local health departments. Modeled after their coordination with the Water Supply Availability Committee (a Washington state interagency committee), the Climatologist’s Office looks to share information and help build capacity for planning and responding to other climate risks. 

The strategic plan was led by the Office of the Washington State Climatologist with input from the Climate Impacts Group, and support from the College of the Environment. “As we prepare to have some staffing changes at the Office, it was the right time to reflect on our successes over the last 20 years and think hard about our future role and how working toward a larger presence could enhance the climate services we already provide,” Deputy State Climatologist Karin Bumbaco said.

In summer 2023, the Washington State Climate Office joined the Climate Impacts Group and became a member organization of EarthLab; the strategic plan further aligns the goals of the Office and their new host organizations. The Climate Impacts Group and the Washington State Climate Office both have a long history of co-producing applied research in climate services and engaging with a diverse range of partners on similar topics. EarthLab provides capacity-building and support for each of their nine member organizations, and brings a strategic approach to funding and growth. Over the next several years, the Climate Office also aims to strengthen their partnerships across the College of the Environment and the University of Washington.

WASCO Strategic Plan (PDF)