Climate Impacts Group

Applications for the 2026 Climate Equity and ReSilience Conference Now Open

Are you a graduate student (master’s, doctoral, post-doc) or early-career professional (five years from a terminal degree) interested in understanding how climate equity and resilience connects to your research, work, or life?

The Climate Equity and Resilience Institute (CERSI) invites you to a transformative week-long program designed to deepen your knowledge and grow your community.

From September 27-October 4, 2026, participants will get to explore climate resilience through place-based learning, immersive field trips, and engaging discussions with guest speakers, all while building meaningful connections with others passionate about how climate intersects with societies and culture in a variety of contexts. 

2027 Faculty Fellowship Program Application Deadline Extended to August 31!

The deadline to submit applications for the Northwest Climate Adaptation Science Center’s 2027 Faculty Fellowship Program has been extended to August 31, 2026. The NW CASC Faculty Fellowship Program supports research related to climate adaptation in Northwest natural and cultural resource management as well as training in the principles and practices of co-producing decision-relevant (i.e., “actionable”) science. This is a last-mile program that funds activities aimed at enhancing the usability of existing research for natural resource managers. Last-mile activities take research beyond peer-reviewed publication to formats more easily accessed, interpreted and applied by resource managers.

The NW CASC invites applications from faculty and non-faculty scientists with primary investigator status at University of Washington, Boise State University, Northwest Indian College, Oregon State University, Portland State University, University of Montana, Washington State University and Western Washington University.  

UW is ranked third in most-cited climate science institutions

The University of Washington is the third most highly cited organization in Carbon Brief’s ranking, with a score of 662,032.

Its main divisions centered on climate change include the Program on Climate Change, the Climate Impacts Group, and the Department of Atmospheric and Climate Science. 

Letter from the Director – July 2026

Dear friend,

With summer upon us and drought conditions continuing to develop across the Pacific Northwest, I am especially appreciative of the work of our team in the Washington State Climate Office, who provide credible, accessible updates on climate topics ranging from snowpack to predictions for El Nino conditions. And, personally, I love having climatologists a few doors away from my office to pepper with my many questions on historical context and weird weather!

Although the UW Seattle campus is quieter in the summer months, our collaborations continue forward at full pace — ranging from the NW CASC Deep Dive workshops on emerging climate risks in the PNW to supporting our partners at state agencies with the implementation of Washington’s Climate Resilience Strategy. 

What a ‘very strong’ El Niño could mean for WA

There is a 63% chance that a very strong El Niño will develop by this upcoming winter. Previous El Niño tend to bring warmer and drier winters, but there are only a few of these very strong El Niño events in the historical record available for comparison. Deputy State Climatologist Karin Bumbaco is quoted.  

Understanding How Growth Management, Water Efficiency, and Climate Could Shape Future Residential Water Demand in the Puget Sound Region

Despite the Puget Sound region’s reputation for abundant water, communities across western Washington are increasingly confronting summer water stress. Hotter, drier summers, declining snowpack, and rapid population growth are reshaping the timing and reliability of freshwater availability in the Puget Sound Region. 

Over the next 40 years, the region is expected to add roughly five million residents, increasing pressure on water infrastructure, freshwater ecosystems, and instream flows that support salmon and other species.

Understanding both how future regional water demand may change and the potential for alternative supplies are critical pieces of the region’s broader climate resilience strategy. To help address this challenge, the Climate Impacts Group partnered with Puget Sound Partnership on a multi-year project examining how future water management actions can support broader Puget Sound Recovery goals, both past and future.  

WA’s snowpack zapped as drought looms, reservoirs sink

Reservoir storage has begun to decline earlier than normal due to warm spring conditions and a lack of mountain snowpack. Early snowmelt means that reservoir storage will need to provide water over a longer portion of the year. Karin Bumbaco is quoted.  

Join our team as a Social Scientist! Now Closed

The UW Climate Impacts Group has an outstanding opportunity to join our team as an early career social scientist.

We are seeking a candidate with a social science or policy background and project management experience who can add breadth to the work we do and support CIG’s senior researchers on climate change adaptation projects with our federal, tribal, state, and local partners. While educational attainment is valued, we also encourage applications from practitioners who have worked in government, non-profits, and consulting who can bring a practical social science orientation to the CIG team.

The pay range is $68,736-$78,000 per year depending on experience. 

Hot, dry weekend raises Washington wildfire concerns: ‘Don’t be that spark’

A warm winter, poor snowpack, and dry and warm short-term conditions create ideal fire weather conditions. Given this year’s drought declaration, the fire season is likely to begin earlier than normal and we are likely to see higher than normal wildfire risk this summer. Karin Bumbaco is quoted.  

Seattle Is Updating Its Climate Plan for First Time in 13 Years

The city brought in experts from the University of Washington Climate Impacts Group and Public Health Seattle-King County to educate staff members in the room on the specific hazards climate change poses to Seattle, so actions can be woven into the plans that focused on preparing communities to withstand these threats.