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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Organic dairy cows exhibit signs of heat stress after being turned out to pasture for night grazing in mid-July (Maryland).

Keeping cows cool in the summertime is a major concern for dairy farmers, even in the relatively moderate climate of the Northeast. During humid heatwaves, temperature and humidity levels can rise above a cow’s comfort zone, leading to heat stress. When heat stress occurs, dairy…

Managing Dairy Heat Stress in the Northeast’s Rapidly Changing Climate

Teff seeded between rows of pumpkins at URI’s agronomy farm. Photo by Dr. Rebecca Brown.

Many Rhode Island farmers plant winter cover crops, such as winter rye (Secale cereale). The plants help to reduce soil erosion, improve soil quality, and provide other benefits. Summer cover crops traditionally have not been used in Rhode Island because of the short summer…

New Opportunities for Summer Cover Crops

scene from Sustainable Dairy Cropping at Penn State virtual tour

Warmer temperatures and longer growing seasons offer Pennsylvania dairy farmers the ability to plant more than one crop in a season. But increasing frequency of extreme rainfall presents new challenges. Double cropping with winter annuals can increase forage production and…

Sustainable Dairy Cropping at Penn State

Every Struggle is Different.

Farming can be a challenging occupation here in the Midwest. Producers, ranchers and their families face many difficulties that can lead to stress: financial problems, marketing uncertainties, production challenges, mental health issues, social pressures and natural disasters (…

Stress and Crisis Resources in the Midwest

Aerial view of wind damaged crops after a Hurricane

Though vulnerable to earthquakes, tsunamis, and wildfires, the major threat of disaster in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands comes from hurricanes, tropical storms, and drought. Hurricanes bring storm surge, heavy rainfall, flooding, landslides, extreme winds and tornadoes…

Disaster Preparedness - Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands

Omaha Flooding road washout

2019 has proven to be an extreme year weather-wise here in the Midwest--from extreme cold in January, the Bomb Cyclone in March, and tornadoes in April to extensive rain and subsequent flooding in May and June. The Midwest states are no strangers to disaster. As we look back on…

Preparing for Disaster in the Midwest: The Land of Extremes

A newly constructed stream simulation culvert on the George Washington National Forest.

Extreme Precipitation and Trends There is clear evidence that precipitation in the Northeast is more intense than it was in the past. The increase in the Northeast has been greater than any other region in the U.S. (Figure 1). Between 1901 and 2014, total annual precipitation…

Storms and Stream-Crossings

Dr. Steve McNulty, Director of the USDA Southeast Climate Hub, delivers the opening address at the Hurricane Resilience Workshop

The Southeast Climate Hub partnered with the University of Florida to host a free Building Agricultural Resilience to Hurricanes Workshop on November 15, 2018 in Gainesville, Florida. The workshop brought together over 60 USDA, Extension, and research professionals to discuss…

Building Agricultural Resilience to Hurricanes in the Southeastern US

An Assessment of the Impacts of Climate Change on the Great Lakes Cover

The Environmental Law & Policy Center, in concert with the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, commissioned the following scientists and experts to produce this report to educate policymakers and the public about the significant changes affecting the Great Lakes, and the…

An Assessment of the Impacts of Climate Change on the Great Lakes

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