Scorching heat and record cold. Prolonged droughts and flooding from heavy precipitation. Lightning storms that ignite wildfires.
At the Climate Extremes Laboratory at Washington State University Vancouver, Deepti Singh and her students are working to deepen the understanding of extreme weather events—both in the Pacific Northwest and around the world.
“As the climate warms, the probability of experiencing these record-breaking weather events increases,” says Singh, assistant professor in the School of the Environment. “They affect our food security, air quality, water supplies, and energy production. And weather-related disasters influence human migration patterns.”
The planet hit new highs in 2023 with its warmest year on record. Evidence suggests that Earth might not have been this warm in 100,000 years.
Temperatures have been going up for years due to climate change, but last year reached unprecedented levels with additional factors such as El Niño, the cyclical climate pattern that is often linked with record-setting heat worldwide.
The Pacific Northwest really started feeling the extreme heat in 2021 when the “heat dome” broke records and buckled roads. Washington State University assistant professor Deepti Singh studies extreme weather events and, in this issue, she assesses the impacts of 2021 and … » More …
Washington State University researchers adapt livestock and crops such as potatoes, apples, and wheat to feed a more crowded, warming planet. » More ...
The Cook Agronomy Farm at Washington State University uses smart sensors to prepare for climate change effects on crops, help farmers be more precise and efficient, and study soil on agricultural lands.
Read more about automation and precision agriculture in “Smarter orchards.”
A tall ship carrying artists and writers through the Arctic stirs thoughts of ice art, Frankenstein, and the need to archive disappearances for Washington State University English professor Debbie Lee. » More ...
