ACCAP at AGU
The ACCAP team is participating in the 2024 American Geophysical Union fall meeting held both virtually and in Washington D.C. We hope to connect with our colleagues and friends during the following presentations and events. For those in D.C., please also stop by the University of Alaska Fairbanks booth (number 931) which is co-hosted by the ACCAP…
ACCAP scientists help keep record of global and Arctic climate
For the fourth consecutive year, Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Policy scientist Rick Thoman served as an editor of an annual federal report summarizing the world’s climate. “State of the Climate in 2023” describes global environmental conditions and highlights notable climate records. For example, Earth’s greenhouse gas concentrations, ocean heat and global sea level…
Rick Thoman, Alaska’s trusted source for climate information
Each year ACCAP’s climate specialist Rick Thoman appears in hundreds of news stories as a trusted source of climate change information in Alaska. Reporters across the state, nation and world recognize him as an excellent science communicator and expert in Alaska climate and weather. “Rick Thoman” has become a household name in many Alaska communities…
Alaska Fellow chronicles past impactful extreme events
The frequency and intensity of wildfires, coastal storms, flooding, landslides, avalanches and other extreme events are increasing in Alaska. An understanding of past events helps people plan for the future, but historical records of extreme events are often incomplete and very difficult to locate. Partnering with the Alaska Fellows, ACCAP worked with recent graduate Caroline…
Visualizing the landscape of Tribal communities
The Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Policy has released a set of resources to help researchers and academics working in rural Alaska understand the complexities of Tribal communities. The new materials come amid increased focus on Arctic climate research and Indigenous priorities, a trend that Tribal communities welcome but can find taxing. Adelheid Herrmann,…
Better NWS seasonal to subseasonal sea ice forecasts for rural Alaska
In coastal Arctic Alaska people rely on sea ice as a platform for hunting, fishing and travel. Yet reliable forecasts of sea ice conditions and associated weather are not always readily available. ACCAP was asked by the National Weather Service to gather feedback from communities to guide future delivery of NWS seasonal to subseasonal sea…
Setting the stage for a future avalanche warning system
Avalanches are Alaska’s deadliest natural hazard. They affect about 30 percent of the state and regularly damage or destroy infrastructure and block transportation corridors. Despite the danger, Alaska lacks an avalanche warning system. ACCAP Deputy Director Nathan Kettle is coordinating two projects that lay the groundwork for a future warning program. The efforts are in…
Arctic Report Card highlights salmon extremes and local observers
The Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Policy’s Rick Thoman and John Walsh contributed to the 18th Arctic Report Card released Dec. 12, 2023. The report card, produced by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, documents how warming air, ocean and land affect people and ecosystems. According to Thoman the sections on salmon and working…
ACCAP experts co-author national climate assessment
Climate change will have far-reaching consequences to the people of Alaska, according to the fifth National Climate Assessment, a report from the U.S. government released earlier this month. ACCAP’s Sarah Trainor, Adelheid Herrmann and Danielle Meeker were among the authors of the Alaska chapter of the assessment, which goes beyond documented ecosystem changes to focus…
New Weather and Climate Graphics Page
Rick Thoman and the ACCAP team recently reorganized the frequently visited graphics website page. Thoman’s Climate and weather graphics are used by a broad audience that includes the news media, students and community planners. Under the new organizational structure, there are now three graphic categories: Alaska Community andRegional Trends, Alaska-Wide Climate Trends, and Monthly and…