Climate Impacts Group

Climate assessment finds climate change impacts accelerating 

Crystal Raymond, a research scientist at the UW Climate Impacts Group, highlights the findings of a new federal climate assessment.  

More Floods and Worse Floods’ in the Chehalis Basin: Officials Discuss Potential Effects of Climate Change

The Office of the Chehalis Basin isn’t just preparing for this year’s possible flooding events, but is looking ahead using University of Washington climate change models to see what flooding might look like in the state’s second largest river basin by the end of the century. Climate Impacts Group science is referenced. 

Seattle is very thirsty right now

The Seattle area is thirsty and could really use a nice, cold rainy day. According to the National Weather Service, summer 2022 was the driest on record. Dr. Meade Krosby is quoted via Twitter.

Scientists: Warming climate ‘loads the dice’ for wildfire in west Cascades

Record heat made the Cascades ripe for a fire like Bolt Creek. Dr. Crystal Raymond is quoted. 

“A large wildfire on the west side is a little bit like an earthquake,” Raymond said. “It could be pretty severe. It’s pretty rare. We need to practice for it because we don’t know how it’s going to go down.”  

Bolt Creek fire highlights changing climate, increased wildfire risk in Western WA

Scientists have long warned that climate change would lead to more fires near towns like Index on the west side of the Cascades. And while the Bolt Creek fire is only one example, it could be a harbinger of blazes to come. Dr. Crystal Raymond is quoted in this story for the Seattle Times.  

Red flag fire warning in Cascades

The National Weather Service issued a Red Flag Warning for the western slopes of the north and central Cascades until Friday evening. Dr. Crystal Raymond is interviewed in this KING5 story.  

Heat wave serves WA a lesson in climate adaptation, mitigation

For better or worse, this heat wave is forcing Washington to recognize and confront the impacts of climate change. Dr. Meade Krosby is quoted.  

King County hoping to close heat disparity gap in low-income areas

Earlier this year, King County announced it’s developing an Extreme Heat Mitigation plan to better handle heat waves. Part of the county’s plan is to work on closing the heat disparity gap. Erica Asinas is quoted.  

The scientists who switched focus to fight climate change

Four researchers describe how they found different ways of responding to the planet’s biggest threat — from quitting tenure to overhauling their academic programme. Dr. Meade Krosby is quoted.  

AP News: From dry to deluge, how heavy snow, rain flooded Yellowstone

In Yellowstone, rivers and creeks this week raged with water much higher and faster than even the rare benchmark 500 year flood. Weather-whiplashed residents and government officials raced to save homes, roads and businesses. Guillaume Mauger is quoted. This article was picked up by five different news outlets.