Articles on Extreme weather

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One primary concern in rural areas: higher temperatures put strain on water and energy sources. AP Photo/Robert Ray

February 22, 2017

Red state rural America is acting on climate change – without calling it climate change

Rebecca J. Romsdahl, University of North Dakota

With little action at the national level on climate change, state and city officials are taking the lead – but by emphasizing local benefits.

Emergency crews tackle a bushfire at Boggabri, one of dozens across NSW during the heatwave. AAP/Karen Hodge

February 15, 2017

Climate change doubled the likelihood of the New South Wales heatwave

Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick, UNSW; Andrew King, University of Melbourne, and Matthew Hale, UNSW

Heat records have tumbled across New South Wales as the state suffered through the weekend's heatwave. A new analysis shows that climate change made this kind of event much less of a rarity.

Sydneysiders cool off in heatwave conditions gripping eastern Australia in January 2017. AAP Image/Joel Carrett

January 19, 2017

2016 crowned hottest year on record: Australia needs to get heat smart

Liz Hanna, Australian National University; Kathryn Bowen, Australian National University, and Mark Howden, Australian National University

2016 is the third consecutive hottest year on record. How can we adapt?

Cyclone Oswald caused flooding that forced the evacuation of more than 100 patients from Bundaberg Hospital to Brisbane in January 2013. Dave Hunt/AAP

January 11, 2017

Hospitals feel the heat too from extreme weather and its health impacts

Martin Loosemore, UNSW and Anumitra Mirti Chand, UNSW

Most of our hospitals were not designed to cope with the health impacts of future extreme weather. And hospital infrastructure has not been adapted to secure health care during such events.

Union workers supporting coal energy (right) face off against environmentalists in Pittsburgh, 2013. AP Photo/Keith Srakocic

December 13, 2016

The US environmental movement needs a new message

Nives Dolsak, University of Washington and Aseem Prakash, University of Washington

Most Americans care about the environment, but they didn't vote that way this year. Two political scientists urge the movement to build better connections with blue-collar workers and immigrants.

National Guard soldiers inspect homes in Rockaway Park, Queens, New York, after Superstorm Sandy, 2012. Spc. Zane Craig, PA National Guard/Flickr

May 31, 2016

Cities can prepare for hurricane season by reforming shortsighted and outdated laws

John Travis Marshall, Georgia State University

As Atlantic hurricane season opens on June 1, eastern U.S. cities can prepare by updating laws, codes and ordinances that hamper rebuilding after storms.

Hurricane Pali churns over the eastern Pacific on January 11. NASA Earth Observatory

January 21, 2016

Why are hurricanes forming in January?

Adam H. Sobel, Columbia University

January hurricanes are rare events, but two have already formed this month. Atmospheric scientist Adam Sobel explains the conditions that generated Pali and Alex.

People stand on a pier as waves crash into the beach as the beginning effects of Hurricane Sandy are felt in Coney Island in Brooklyn, New York, USA, 29 October 2012. US President Barack Obama urged residents to follow warnings from local officials as hurricane Sandy barrels toward the East Coast. Many areas from the mid-Atlantic to Northeast have declared a state of emergency as Sandy is expected to bring flooding and widespread power and commuication outages. EPA/JUSTIN LANE

October 30, 2012

Frankenstorm Sandy wreaks havoc on NYC, floods cities

Sunanda Creagh, The Conversation

Superstorm Sandy has flooded seven subway tunnels in New York City and flooded cities after killing at least 69 people in…

Top contributors

Martin Loosemore
Professor, Construction Management Program, Built Environment, UNSW
Liz Hanna
Honorary Senior Fellow, Australian National University
Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick
Research Fellow, UNSW
Andrew King
Climate Extremes Research Fellow, University of Melbourne
Mark Howden
Director, Climate Change Institute, Australian National University
Kathryn Bowen
Senior Research Fellow, Australian National University
John Travis Marshall
Assistant Professor of Law, Georgia State University
Adam H. Sobel
Professor, Columbia University
Rebecca J. Romsdahl
Professor of Environmental Science & Policy, University of North Dakota
Aseem Prakash
Walker Family Professor and Founding Director, Center for Environmental Politics, University of Washington
Nives Dolsak
Professor of Environmental Policy, University of Washington
Anumitra Mirti Chand
Researcher, City Futures Research Centre, UNSW
Matthew Hale
Research Assistant, UNSW