Researchers will determine the role of climate in extreme events
In the past decade, scientists have improved their ability to attribute extreme climate and weather events to underlying causes, including human-caused climate change and recurring climate phenomena such as El Niño. Now, researchers at CIRES, NOAA, and partner universities are working to turn those advances into a prototype service that will quickly evaluate the causes of extreme heat and cold waves and drought in the United States.
“Every year, NOAA identifies billion-dollar climate and weather disasters, and as the climate warms, the impacts of these disasters are increasing,” said Joe Barsugli, a CIRES scientist working in NOAA’s Physical Sciences Laboratory. “Understanding the causes of extreme climate and weather events will help communities and emergency and resource planners better anticipate and plan for future events.”
An overview of the project was published today in the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society (BAMS) special report, Explaining Extreme Events of 2020 from a Climate Perspective.
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