Climate Impacts Group

Letter from the Director – April 2026

Dear friends, supporters and colleagues:

I loved seeing so many of you at our 30th anniversary film screening event! We were honored to celebrate with over 250 supporters, collaborators, and community members. I particularly enjoyed the thoughtful panel discussion at the end, when former governor Jay Inslee asked far-reaching questions about resilience, storytelling, climate policy, and hope. And, I appreciated the insight of the former Climate Impacts Group director, Dr. Amy Snover, about the important climate change adaptation work happening at every level of government and across diverse organizations. Most importantly, the evening was a reminder of the power of being part of a vast community of people who care deeply about a more just and resilient future. 

Pacific Northwest Water Year 2025 Impacts Assessment Released

The sixth annual Pacific Northwest (PNW) Water Year Impacts Assessment provides a detailed evaluation of climate conditions and related impacts across Idaho, Oregon, and Washington during the 2025 water year (October 1, 2024–September 30, 2025). 

“Finding Tomorrow’s Climate in Today’s Landscapes”: New Study and Tools Available to Support Land Management Decisions Around Vegetation Change

A new, NW CASC-supported study led by researchers at the University of Montana and partners in the U.S. Forest Service, Conservation Science Partners, and Vibrant Planet, uses climate-analog modeling to explore the future of vegetation change in the western U.S. This study found that about one third of the western U.S. is highly vulnerable to ecological transformation by the middle of the 21st century, and that more than any other vegetation groups, subalpine forest and alpine ecosystems are most at risk of declining by mid-21st century. 

Letter from the Director – February 2026

Dear friend,

As we watch this winter’s weather unfold and keep a close eye on our very low snowpack conditions, we have also begun planning for summer – including preparing to welcome a new cohort of student interns through the EarthLab internship program! UW undergraduate students from all departments and campuses are eligible to apply for these paid positions, several of which are hosted within the Climate Impacts Group to support a wide range of our efforts to advance climate change adaptation. Please encourage students you know to consider applying!

On a personal note, I’m approaching my one-year anniversary at the UW Climate Impacts Group! 

Counting Every Drop: CoCoRaHS Observer Stories

Apply now for the 2026 EarthLab Summer Internship Program!

EarthLab summer internships offer a robust, cohort-based experience for University of Washington undergraduate students. Undergraduate students currently enrolled as of Spring Quarter 2026 in a degree-granting program at any UW campus (Bothell, Seattle, or Tacoma) from a variety of disciplines are encouraged to apply. These paid 9-week internships will engage students in interdisciplinary and community-engaged research projects and will cover a variety of subjects. Interns will be provided professional development training and mentorship throughout. This year, the Climate Impacts Group will host seven (7) interns! 

Letter from the Director – December 2025

Our hearts go out to the communities that have been affected by the devastating flooding across Washington state. Climate Impacts Group researchers have been briefing news stations on the science behind the severe weather and the likelihood of increased flooding in the future (see media mentions below). We remain committed to serving as a reliable resource on climate science and working in partnership to develop climate adaptation and resilience strategies.

Building community is at the heart of our work, which is why it was a delight to see and talk with so many partners, alumni, and friends of the Climate Impacts Group at our recent 30th anniversary celebration on Dec. 

NW CASC’s Research Fellowship Program: Championing Early-Career Climate Adaptation Scientists for Almost a Decade

A researcher wades into a mountain river to install a structure that creates deep, cold-water pools for sensitive fish in the heat of summer. Another hikes through remote terrain to set up trail cameras that will share secrets about where elusive, snow-dependent species are present and where they are not. Meanwhile, states away, another researcher treks into a burned forest to see what is growing back after the flames. The thread that connects these endeavors? These are Northwest Climate Adaptation Science Center (NW CASC) research fellows, conducting projects to understand how species and ecosystems are being impacted by climate change, and what can be done to help them persist in our rapidly changing world. 

Letter from the Director – October 2025

Happy Fall!

As the UW community begins a new academic year, we are reminded just how much students and faculty make the Climate Impacts Group what it is. While the CIG is not a degree-granting department, we interact with students in many ways. We host undergraduate summer interns and a graduate student summer school, employ graduate students to support projects, serve on thesis advisory committees, and even teach a course on co-production of climate change adaptation solutions. We’ve found incorporating students and faculty as collaborators on our projects and the cross-pollination of their studies and our research to be invaluable! We’re pleased to introduce you to this summer’s fantastic interns and their projects in this issue. 

Q&A with our summer interns: Studying Adaptation, Building Skills for a Career in Climate

Intern season is one of our favorite times of year! The EarthLab Summer Internship Program is a nine-week paid internship for UW undergraduate students to build knowledge in environmental and climate justice through a cohort-based peer learning model. Every summer, the Climate Impacts Group hosts interns who reliably provide fresh and valuable input on our projects while receiving career development support. This year, our five interns entered the program representing a breadth of disciplines — computer science, education, business marketing & sustainability, medical anthropology and biology. They worked with the Washington State Climate Office on a flood modeling analysis project and Inclusive Excellence evaluation; with the Northwest Climate Adaptation Science Center on science communications and invasive mussel research; and with CIG scientists on mutual aid research.