Climate Impacts Group

Climate Matters: A Wildfire Note From Dave Upthegrove, Washington DNR (Washington Climate Office)

Dave Upthegrove, Commissioner of Public Lands, reminds us that we are not powerless in the face of wildfire. This month’s Washington State Climate Office Climate Matters takes a look at what the Department of Natural Resources is doing to manage wildfire risk statewide. 

What to expect from a ‘very strong’ El Niño in the Pacific Northwest

To help understand what we should expect, the UW College of Environment sat down with Deputy Washington State Climatologist and UW Climate Impacts Group research scientist Karin Bumbaco, who discussed how El Niño works, what it has to do with climate change and how it might impact the Pacific Northwest this winter. 

UW Environment celebrates partnership and impact at Community-Engaged Research Symposium

A week of connection and collaboration across the Pacific Northwest helps shape Seattle’s Climate Action Plan

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.  

July Climate Matters: What to expect from this year’s wildfire season in the Northwest

This month’s Climate Matters takes a look at what the Department of Natural Resources is doing to manage wildfire risk statewide. By Brian J. Harvey, Associate Professor in the School of Environmental and Forest Sciences at UW 

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.