Extreme Weather
Extreme Weather
Global changes in temperature and precipitation are reflected in local weather patterns in ways both mundane (e.g., warmer winter days) and extreme (e.g., more severe hurricanes). Changes in the frequency and severity of extreme weather events such as hurricanes, blizzards, and floods can devastate human and ecological communities and fundamentally shift ecosystem and water dynamics in the region. The CASC network produces knowledge, data, and tools to understand and predict extreme weather events and help develop strategies for protecting communities and ecosystems.
Research Highlights
Research Highlights
The CASC network produces knowledge and tools to understand drivers of extreme weather events and to help protect communities and ecosystems. Learn about major extreme weather events research topics and discover CASC research highlights here.
Other Extreme Weather Highlights
Other Extreme Weather Highlights
Filter Total Items: 20
Improving Understanding of Climate Extremes in the Southwestern United States
In the southwestern United States, droughts of 10 or more years are projected to become more frequent by 2100. It also is projected that there will be fewer wet days per year, with more precipitation falling on those wet days. Such climatic extremes can strongly affect wild animals and plants, ecosystems, and humans. In the Southwest, more frequent and intense storms may negatively affect protecte
Linking Extreme Storms to Changes in Precipitation, Ecosystems, and Wildfire Patterns in the Sierra Nevada
The majority of the West Coast’s most extreme storms have been linked to atmospheric rivers, a meteorological phenomenon in which large amounts of moisture are carried in narrow bands from over the Pacific Ocean to western North America. While weak atmospheric rivers are critical providers of winter rain and snow, stronger events can cause extreme flooding, mudslides, and avalanches – leading to p
Improving Representation of Extreme Precipitation Events in Regional Climate Models
The South Central U.S. encompasses a wide range of ecosystem types and precipitation patterns. Average annual precipitation is less than 10 inches in northwest New Mexico but can exceed 60 inches further east in Louisiana. Much of the region relies on warm-season convective precipitation – that is, highly localized brief but intense periods of rainfall that are common in the summer. This type of p
Structured Decision-Making as a Tool for Coastal Restoration: A Case Study on Ship Island, Mississippi
Barrier islands protect mainland areas from storm surge, but can erode over time and require restoration. Ship Island, a barrier island off the coast of Mississippi, provides an example of this: the island was battered by Hurricane Camille in 1969 and split into two separate islands. As part of the Mississippi Coastal Improvements Program, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers plans to use approximatel
Understanding and Communicating the Role of Natural Climate Variability in a Changing World
Natural climate variability can obscure or enhance long-term trends in experienced weather due to climate change. This can happen temporarily on timescales of a season to several years to a decade or two. Natural variability is poorly described and attributed to specific causes, contributing to uncertainty and misunderstandings about the nature of climate change that stakeholders and resource mana
Effects of Sea-Level Rise and Extreme Storms on California Coastal Habitats: Part 1
In California, the near-shore area where the ocean meets the land is a highly productive yet sensitive region that supports a wealth of wildlife, including several native bird species. These saltmarshes, mudflats, and shallow bays are not only critical for wildlife, but they also provide economic and recreational benefits to local communities. Today, sea-level rise, more frequent and stronger stor
Modeling Future Storm Impacts on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta
The western coast of Alaska is a remote region, rich in wildlife and providing critical nesting habitat for many of Alaska’s seabirds. It is also home to indigenous communities who rely upon the region’s natural resources to support a traditional lifestyle of hunting, gathering, and fishing. Although the region is frequently subject to extensive inland flooding from Bering Sea storms, little is kn
Modeling Western Alaska Coastal Hazards
The western coastline of Alaska is highly susceptible to coastal storms, which can cause erosion, flooding, and saltwater storm surge, affecting natural ecosystems, human communities, and commercial activity. Historically, a large buffer of ice along the shoreline has protected this region from some of the more severe effects of coastal storms. However, climate change may not only increase the fre