Causes and Impacts of the 2016-2019 Southeast Alaska Drought
Southeast Alaska, home to the northernmost temperate rain forest in the world, experienced frequent and cumulatively significant below-normal precipitation starting in autumn 2016. Combined with above-normal air and ocean temperatures and changes in economies, the 2016–2019 drought brought wide reaching impacts to individuals, communities, tribes and ecosystems.
Focus areas of this research include:
- Putting the 2016–2019 drought into historical context
- Elucidating some of the drivers of the dominant weather patterns during this drought,
- Documenting impacts across multiple systems and time scales
- Providing estimates of the future likelihood of such events reoccurring in coming decades through post-processing of available climate model projections.
Research Snapshot
The research team has produced a full report, Southeast Alaska Drought, on the impacts and attribution of the 2016–2019 Southeast Alaska Drought, as well as two-page summaries on the following topics:
- Southeast Alaska Drought History
- Southeast Alaska Drought Causes
- Southeast Alaska Drought Impacts
- Southeast Alaska Drought Future
There will also be a peer-reviewed publication.
This webinar recording provides an overview of the Southeast Alaska Drought report, including a discussion of drought history, causes, and ecosystem impacts in the region.
