Ocean upwelling becoming more intense with a changing climate

Ocean winds drive upwelling and productivity along certain coastlines. (photo: Ron LaValley)

Our Washington coastline is one of the most prolific and productive in the world, teeming with abundant plant and animal life. In fact, much of entire U.S. west coast is the same, and we can largely thank a strong upwelling system for driving this bounty. New research published in Science has shown that upwelling in the eastern boundary current systems – meaning, the eastern edges of ocean basins across the globe where winds, currents, and geological formations create a prime environment for upwelling – has increased globally over the past 60 years. 

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UW Climate Impacts Group plays major role in newest National Climate Assessment

Washington State's Mt Baker

The Obama Administration released the third National Climate Assessment, Climate Change Impacts in the United States, on May 6.  Amy Snover, director of the Climate Impacts Group and assistant dean for applied research at the College of the Environment, served as a co-convening lead author of the assessment; additionally, the chapter focused on the Northwest drew heavily from the Climate Impact Group’s body of research, including the 2009 Washington Climate Change Impacts Assessment. 

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Call for Abstracts! 5th Annual Pacific Northwest Climate Science Conference

Western North America

The Program Committee for the Fifth Annual Pacific Northwest (PNW) Climate Science Conference invites abstracts for oral and poster presentations at contributed paper sessions, as well as proposals for special sessions, for a range of topics related to regional climate, climate impacts, and climate adaptation science and practice. All submissions are due by 11:00 pm PST on Friday, April 25, 2014. 

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