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Causes and Impacts of the 2016-2019 Southeast Alaska Drought

Project Timeline
October 2020 - September 2022

Southeast Alaska, home to the northernmost temperate rain forest in the world, experienced frequent and cumulatively significant below-normal precipitation starting in autumn 2016, impacting individuals, communities, tribes, and ecosystems. Motivated by the 2016–2019 drought, this NIDIS-funded research effort, led by the Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Policy (ACCAP, a NOAA RISA team) and NOAA's Physical Sciences Laboratory, aims to improve our predictive understanding of drought in a changing climate by considering the following questions:

  • How did the event evolve and what were its key characteristics?
  • To place the event in historical context, how did its key characteristics and drivers compare with prior events?
  • How did climate change alter the intensity and duration of the 2016–19 drought?
  • How is climate change projected to alter the intensity, frequency, and duration of droughts like 2016–19?
  • How did the drought impact society and the environment?

To learn more, view the research profile for this project.

General Location
State
Specific Location
Alaska
Regions
Pacific Northwest
Key Partners
NOAA
Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Policy
Sectors
Agriculture
Ecosystems
DEWS Components
Observation & Monitoring
Communication & Outreach
Research & Applications