Extreme Weather

Extreme events are occurrences of unusually severe weather or climate conditions that can cause devastating impacts on communities and agricultural and natural ecosystems. Weather-related extreme events are often short-lived and include heat waves, freezes, heavy downpours, tornadoes, tropical cyclones and floods. Climate-related extreme events either persist longer than weather events or emerge from the accumulation of weather or climate events that persist over a longer period of time. Examples include drought resulting from long periods of below-normal precipitation or wildfire outbreaks when a prolonged dry, warm period follows an abnormally wet and productive growing season.

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Cover of Austin Urban Forest Climate Vulnerability Assessment report

The USDA Northern Forests Climate Hub and the Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science have partnered with the Southern Plains Climate Hub and the City of Austin, Texas to assess the vulnerability of Austin’s urban forests and natural areas to climate change. How are urban…

Vulnerability Assessment of Austin’s Urban Forest and Natural Areas

Images of dry conditions from across the Northwest.

Portions of Idaho, Oregon, and Washington have been experiencing abnormally dry to drought conditions since January 2018. On 28 and 30 July 2020, there was a virtual Northwest Drought Workshop with the goals of learning how the US Drought Monitor map is made each week, how…

Northwest Drought Workshop 2020

The High Line is a green space in New York City

It’s important to properly plan an urban forest first in order to ensure the greatest chance of success. Location, planting timing, and tree species are all important aspects of a plan. To assist planners, West Virginia Division of Forestry recently updated two …

Tips for Urban Forest Planning

Workers at Briarpatch Enterprises in Milford, CT, offload bags of clams harvested from Long Island Sound onto a conveyor belt. The conveyor belt lifts the bags into a company truck that transports them to the warehouse for processing. Photo by Judy Benson, Connecticut Sea Grant.

Climate change is a global challenge. It has the potential to impact environmental, animal, and human health, as well as the economy. The food production sector is particularly susceptible to changes in the climate. These changes have far-reaching societal impacts such as…

Climate Change and Aquaculture in Connecticut’s Long Island Sound

Climate Change Pressures in the 21st Century

As significant impacts of climate change on natural systems are already evident, it is important to understand how climate change will continue and potentially intensity with time. The USDA Office of Sustainability and Climate has developed an interactive storymap to show what…

Shifts in Growing Degree Days, Plant Hardiness Zones and Heat Zones

Hurricane approaching the SE US

State Hurricane Preparation and Recovery Commodity Guides People who live and work in the Southeastern United States are unfortunately familiar with the devastation and loss of life and property that can accompany a hurricane event. While hurricanes have always been a threat…

Hurricane Preparation and Recovery Commodity Guides

Haycamp Farm

Project Area Description Haycamp Farm and Fruit is a small, diversified family farm sitting at 7,000 ft elevation on the eastern edge of the Colorado Plateau in southwestern Colorado’s Montezuma County. Landforms in most areas are controlled by the underlying sedimentary rock…

Haycamp Farm Case Study

North Country Trail Huron Manistee National Forest

Outdoor recreation is an essential way that people engage with their natural and cultural heritage. In the United States, federal lands are host to over 938 million recreational visits per year and are an important contributor to the economy. Climate change will alter the…

Adapting outdoor recreation to climate change

Wild Rice

Non-forested wetlands are important habitats that can also help reduce climate change impacts within watersheds. The USDA Northern Forests Climate Hub and the Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science has partnered with the Wisconsin Initiative on Climate Change Impacts to…

Climate Adaptation Tools for Wetland Conservation and Management

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