Climate Impacts Group

Climate Impacts Group celebrates 25th anniversary with painting (Column)

The Climate Impacts Group at the University of Washington is celebrating its 25th anniversary in an innovative and optimistic way — with an original painting. Dr. Amy Snover is quoted. 

“We saw this as an opportunity not only to connect with people in a different way, but also to connect with our work differently. We were interested in seeing what would happen when we asked someone with a different way of looking at the world to communicate our goals for the project.” – Amy Snover  

Trends show decreasing snowfall in the Pacific Northwest, potential impacts to water supply

Annual snowfall in the Pacific Northwest appears to have decreased since the 20th century, part of a larger trend of declining snowfalls in the western United States partially driven by climate change. Matt Rogers and Karin Bumbaco (Office of the Washington State Climatologist) are quoted. 

“What we do in the next several decades by mitigating greenhouse gas emissions and also by adapting to how we’re seeing the climate change can really make an impact on how that affects recreation, how that affects people, and whether or not we’re ready for it.” – Matt Rogers  

Weather experts forecast spring temperatures in Lower Columbia area through Sunday

Temperatures in the Lower Columbia area through Sunday are expected to counter the six more weeks of winter predicted on Groundhog Day just last week. Research from the Climate Impacts Group is referenced.  

An unexpected item is blocking cities’ climate change prep: obsolete rainfall records

New sewers and storm drains will need to withstand rainfall that’s becoming more intense in a changing climate. But as cities make plans to tear up streets and pour cement, most have little to no information about how climate change will worsen future storms. Research from the Climate Impacts Group is referenced. 

Local climate change research projects future floods

Projections of future flooding from the Climate Impacts Group are referenced.  

Local artist, Climate Impacts Group collaborate to share vision for climate-resilient future

Ever wonder what a climate-resilient future might look like? How the communities, wildlife and landscapes might compare to what we see in the Pacific Northwest now?

Local artist Claire Sianna Seaman and the Climate Impacts Group are helping us envision this future with a painting depicting climate resilience in the Pacific Northwest region.

An album of pictures taken by UW Photographer Mark Stone capture the many details and scenes of the painting. To portray the project digitally, staff from the Climate Impacts Group developed a web-based story combining photos of the painting, a written statement from Claire, and audio clips from a showcase of the painting. 

Atmospheric Rivers Spur Debates on Flood Management in Washington State

After a series of storms dumped unprecedented amounts of rainfall on the northwestern corner of Washington last November, small communities in the Nooksack Valley were left severely flooded and asking questions about how to prevent flood damage in the future. Dr. Guillaume Mauger is quoted.  

Gangs Of Elk Are Feasting On Farmers’ Haystacks Across The Northwest

Gangs of wild elk are attacking farmers’ haystacks in Washington and Oregon. They’re hungry, after a long drought and record mountain snow this winter has driven animals down to the lowlands. Dr. Meade Krosby is quoted. This story also ran in Wichita Eagle and OPB.  

Op-Ed: Weather disasters can teach us how to prepare for the future

With climate change our challenge now is to reduce the impacts of flooding on our communities. We can do that by learning from these events when they happen, writes Guillaume Mauger, UW research scientist at the Climate Impacts Group in an Op-Ed. 

Workshop: Resilience planning for small water systems in Washington

Virtual Workshop: Resilience planning for small water systems in Washington
Tuesday, March 1, 2022
9 a.m.–noon

This workshop has past. You can access a recording of the workshop or learn more about this project below. 

WORKSHOP RECORDING

PROJECT PAGE

In 2021, Washington experienced record heat, precipitation deficits, low streamflows and declining aquifer levels. The fall and winter has brought record rains and flooding that damaged water system infrastructure. Climate change impacts water systems in Washington in a variety of ways. If operators have insufficient information about how their systems are at risk, the reliability and quality of drinking water could be compromised.