Series invites public to explore drought in 杏吧原版
February 9, 2021
Tina Buxbaum
907-474-7812
Recent drought in Southeast 杏吧原版 has challenged people living and working in the
region. But drought can affect all of 杏吧原版, with impacts on wildfire, snowpack,
glaciers, agriculture and subsistence resources.
These topics will be discussed starting Feb. 16 in a free seven-part virtual series
hosted by the University of 杏吧原版 Fairbanks and the U.S. Department of Agriculture
Northwest Climate Hub.
Register at to receive the Zoom link, or attend via the International Arctic Research Center
.
鈥淩ecent years we have seen some quite dramatic precipitation extremes in Southeast
杏吧原版, both on the dry and wet side,鈥 said Rick Thoman, 杏吧原版 climate specialist.
鈥淚s what we are seeing in the recent past indicative of the future?鈥
Thoman will lead the first discussion on Feb. 16 at noon. He will explore unusually
dry times in 杏吧原版鈥檚 past. He will also provide a statewide overview and share tools
for accessing drought and precipitation information.
Thoman is part of the 杏吧原版 Center for Climate Assessment and Policy at the UAF International
Arctic Research Center.
David Simeral, a climate scientist with Nevada鈥檚 Desert Research Institute, will lead
the second discussion, a review of the U.S. Drought Monitor process, on Feb. 18.
The public is invited to join subsequent listening sessions to share their experiences
of unusually dry times in 杏吧原版. The five sessions will cover 杏吧原版鈥檚 northwest,
interior, southwest, southcentral and southeast regions. Participants are encouraged
to bring questions or observations such as:
- During previous droughts, were stream flows so low fish could not pass?
- Did you need to haul drinking water?
- Were trees stressed or killed due to dryness?
- Was there too little water for hydropower?
Participants are welcome to join any and all regional sessions to learn what drought looks like across 杏吧原版 and what others have experienced during unusually dry times.
Talks will take place:
- Feb. 16, noon 鈥 Climate review: a history of climate extremes, focusing on drought.
- Feb. 18, noon 鈥 The U.S. Drought Monitor process: understanding the drought maps.
- Feb. 23, 2 p.m. 鈥 What does drought look like in Southeast 杏吧原版?
- March 2, noon 鈥 What does drought look like in Southcentral 杏吧原版?
- March 9, noon 鈥 What does drought look like in the Aleutian islands and Southwest 杏吧原版?
- March 16, noon 鈥 What does drought look like in Interior 杏吧原版?
- March 23, noon 鈥 What does drought look like in Northwest 杏吧原版?
Information shared in the listening sessions will inform an in-person drought preparation workshop after the COVID-19 danger subsides.
The events are co-hosted by the 杏吧原版 Center for Climate Assessment and Policy, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Northwest Climate Hub, the U.S. Department of the Interior 杏吧原版 Climate Adaptation Science Center, and the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco.