overview of weather and climate · climate change. nebraska state climate office • mitigation....
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Overview of weatherand climate
MARTHA SHULSKI , NEBRASKA STATE CL IMATOLOGIST | @MSHULSKI3SCHOOL OF NATURAL RESOURCES , UNIVERS ITY OF NEBRASKA LINCOLN
Overview of Climate and Weather
N E B R A S K A S T A T E C L I M A T E O F F I C E
• What differentiates these? Timescale
Weather ClimateDay to day state of Average of the day to daythe atmosphere weather conditions
Will it raintomorrow?
Do we need tomove the road?
Climate of the Plains and Midwest
N E B R A S K A S T A T E C L I M A T E O F F I C E
• Primary features
Continental climate type withhigh interannual variability.
East-west precipitation and humidity gradientwith wet and dry seasons.
Drought and flood are commonsometimes occurring in rapidsuccession.
2019
2020
N E B R A S K A S T A T E C L I M A T E O F F I C Ehttps://prism.oregonstate.edu/normals/
Climate change
N E B R A S K A S T A T E C L I M A T E O F F I C E
• Historical trends[1986 to 2016] minus [1901 to 1960]
https://science2017.globalchange.gov/chapter/6/
Climate change
N E B R A S K A S T A T E C L I M A T E O F F I C E
• Historical trends[1986 to 2015] minus [1901 to 1960]
https://science2017.globalchange.gov/chapter/7/
Climate change
N E B R A S K A S T A T E C L I M A T E O F F I C E
• Causation and impacts
Natural variations such as La Niñaand El Niño are important. Winter 2020-21 precipitation outlook
https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/
Climate change
N E B R A S K A S T A T E C L I M A T E O F F I C E
• Causation
Natural variations such as La Niñaand El Niño are important.
Enhancement of the greenhouseeffect from human activityis resulting in the long-termtrend (warmer and wetter).
Winter 2020-21 temperature outlook
https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/cag/
Climate change
N E B R A S K A S T A T E C L I M A T E O F F I C E
• Impacts1895 to 2016
https://nca2018.globalchange.gov/chapter/appendix-3/
Climate change
N E B R A S K A S T A T E C L I M A T E O F F I C E
• Mitigation
Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
Increased efficiency and resource management.
Carbon sequestration and improvementsin soil health.
Integrating strips of native prairie vegetation into row crops has been shown to reduce sediment and nutrient loss from fields, as well as improve biodiversity and the
delivery of ecosystem services.33 Iowa State University’s STRIPS program is actively conducting
research into this agricultural conservation practice.https://nca2018.globalchange.gov/chapter/21/
Climate change
N E B R A S K A S T A T E C L I M A T E O F F I C E
• Projections
Warmer by 4°F on average in 30 years, 9°F at the end of the century.Des Moines, IA Topeka, KS Stillwater, OK
Growing season 30 days longer.Double the number of 90°F days.
Wetter climate overall with seasonal shiftsWetter winter, spring; drier summer, wetter fall.
Punctuated by drought events.More heavy rain events.
Climate change
N E B R A S K A S T A T E C L I M A T E O F F I C E
• Perceptions
Majority of Americansthing global warmingis happening.
Climate change
N E B R A S K A S T A T E C L I M A T E O F F I C E
• Perceptions
Fewer Americansthing global warmingis affecting the weather.
Climate change
N E B R A S K A S T A T E C L I M A T E O F F I C E
• Perceptions
Even fewer Americansthing global warmingwill harm them personally.
Weather is how climate change manifests
N E B R A S K A S T A T E C L I M A T E O F F I C E
https://weather-ready.unl.edu/
Know your local conditions
Plan for climate scenarios
Decision tools
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