Climate Impacts Group

Can Seattle take the heat? Officials say area is better prepared this summer

Emergency officials say the Seattle area is better prepared for extreme temperatures this summer than it was before the Northwest’s deadly heat dome of 2021. But making the region thoroughly heat-proof could take many years, and climate activists say government is not moving with the urgency that a climate crisis deserves. The Climate Impacts Group’s latest report on extreme heat in Washington State is referenced.  

Saving lives from extreme heat: Lessons from the deadly 2021 Pacific Northwest heat wave

The heat dome that descended upon the Pacific Northwest in late June 2021 met a population radically unprepared for it. Dr. Jason Vogel, Climate Impacts Group, and Dr. Brian Henning, Gonzaga University, co-authored this article for the Conversation. The Climate Impacts Group’s latest report on extreme heat in Washington State is referenced. This story was also run in the Lake County News, Kiowa County Press, Times Union, Fast Company, the Everett Daily Herald and the Daily News.  

Climate Impacts Group & partners release report in English and Spanish aimed at preventing heat-related illness and death in Washington

Texto en español a continuación

Two years ago, in the summer of 2021, Washington experienced the deadliest weather disaster in the state’s history with days of record-breaking heat. More Washingtonians died from heat exposure each day during the 2021 heat dome than die from heat exposure in a typical summer.

The devastating impacts of the heat dome, coupled with projections that extreme heat events will be more frequent and more intense as the climate changes, serve as a call to action to address heat vulnerability across our state. 

In the hot seat: Saving lives from extreme heat in Washington state describes the problem of extreme heat and outlines specific, actionable guidance for short-term emergency response and long-term risk reduction. 

How the Canadian wildfire smoke could shift Americans’ views on climate

As climate change dropped its calling card on the East Coast last week in the form of thick, dangerous smoke, millions of Americans and Canadians shared the jarring experience — forced to retreat indoors, cancel plans, wear masks and breathe hazardous air. The smoke that Canadian wildfires sent swirling over swaths of North America blanketed cities including New York, Philadelphia and Toronto, shocked many Easterners, broke air quality records and threatened people’s health. It also created a window, climate experts say, for catching people’s attention. Meade Krosby is quoted. 

“When these events happen, they’re a really important opportunity for helping the public make the connection between these kinds of events and climate change, and helping them understand what they can do.” – Meade Krosby, senior scientist, UW Climate Impacts Group

Beating the Heat: Collective Action for a Safer Northwest | June 22 Event

Summer has barely begun, and already the Pacific Northwest is experiencing a heatwave and record-breaking temperatures. The sweltering conditions are a reminder that heat health risks are a growing concern for many in our region.

The good news is that we have new tools and guidance to catalyze action to prevent illness and death from extreme heat.

On June 22—almost exactly two years after the Pacific Northwest heat dome—EarthLab, the Climate Impacts Group (CIG) and the Center for Health and the Global Environment (CHanGE) will be co-hosting a multifaceted event to share new research and tools that will help save lives during extreme heat. 

Chile deploys a task force to fight deadly wildfires. It’s goats.

Goats are being employed help curb the deadly wildfires now scorching mountainous central Chile, as well as across the Pacific Northwest. Crystal Raymond is quoted. 

These things really do wear on you: The grief and hope shared by those studying the climate crisis

Eco-anxiety is on the rise among Americans, but for those who have been studying the climate crisis and its effects, this feeling is far from novel. Dr. Meade Krosby is quoted. 

WA could get millions in federal salmon recovery dollars

More than $60 million in federal grants could soon be on the way to help Washington’s rivers, endangered salmon and native eelgrass. Dr. Crystal Raymond is quoted.  

Now Hiring: Climate Justice Research Scientist

Are you passionate about the environment and social justice? Do you want to pursue a career centered around the theory and practice of climate justice and resilience? Are you interested in pursuing creative work that centers the needs and goals of frontline communities? If yes, apply today to be the next Climate Impacts Group Climate Justice Research Scientist!

The Climate Justice Research Scientist will support and expand our social science, policy, governance and project management capabilities across various climate change adaptation projects, with an emphasis on projects in collaboration with frontline communities. Many of these projects will be part of the Northwest Climate Resilience Collaborative, a NOAA-funded research program housed at the Climate Impacts Group. 

Drought planning forum explores risks, solutions for Methow Valley

The forum brought together water experts from the valley, the state, and federal agencies in early March. They explained hydrogeology and water storage, and outlined steps to preserve water for rivers and fish, residential and business use, and for agriculture. Research from the UW Climate Impacts Group is referenced.