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# Reducing Risk from Extreme Events

## Climate Science Spotlight

### The USGS is uniquely positioned to provide natural resource and community managers tools to prepare for, respond to, and recover from extreme, climate-driven events that impact the nation from mountains to coasts.

Climate change can pose a variety of hazards both to human-built and natural environments. It can alter weather patterns and create extreme conditions such as intense wildfires and more frequent storms that ecosystems and human communities are not always prepared for. These events create cascading conditions that can be destructive and hazardous to society, natural resources, and economies.

                  -              Overview           

# Quickly jump to how USGS is delivering climate science:

Wildland Fire

#### Wildland Fire

Avalanche Forecasting

#### Avalanche Forecasting

Storms and Flooding

#### Storms and Flooding

Delivering Climate Science

# Wildland Fire and Climate Change

The USGS develops state-of-the-art science to assess the effects of climate change on wildfire patterns. Although fire is an essential part of forest and rangeland health, hotter and drier conditions resulting from climate change are making wildfires grow more intense and destructive across much of the U.S.

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USGS fire science is invaluable for fire management across the country and will only become more important as wildfire risk increases. From forecasting fire danger to studying how invasive species influence fire risk and severity to studying the short- and long-term environmental effects of wildfires, USGS science helps before, during and after fires. 

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Delivering Climate Science

# Avalanche forecasting in Glacier National Park

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The USGS is a **leader in snow and avalanche science** and examines the effect of climate on avalanche behavior. On an annual basis in the western United States, avalanches cause more fatalities than earthquakes and all other forms of slope failure combined.    

As the climate changes, temperatures are increasing and mid-winter rain events are becoming more common, causing increased avalanche frequency.  By analyzing the behavior of avalanches and the specific weather and climate factors that contribute to them, USGS scientists advance understanding of wet snow avalanches to better inform avalanche forecasting efforts, hazard mitigation, and land-use planning in avalanche terrain.  

This science is critical in Glacier National Park, where avalanches impact the spring opening operations of the Going-to-the-Sun Road, a major attraction where **visitors contribute** $344 million to surrounding communities, park managers rely on **USGS expertise** to provide on-site avalanche forecasting.    

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Delivering Climate Science

# Preparing Coastal Communities for Flooding Now and Into the Future

The USGS helps communities prepare for and respond to storms, flooding and coastal change. Climate change impacts along our coasts can vary tremendously, depending on the type of coast, sea-level rise and the degree to which extreme waves and wind impact infrastructure or cause stress to natural coastal ecosystems. The USGS provides forecasts and assessments of **coastal change** at both short and long-term timeframes. These include **convenient, map-based access** to storm-surge and other data related to specific **hurricanes** and coastal storms as well as longer term trends in **shoreline change**.

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Nationwide, the USGS maintains the USGS **National Water Dashboard** interactive map to access real-time water data from over 13,500 stations nationwide. When extreme events occur, the **flood inundation mapper**, also provides emergency management personnel and residents with maps and information that are critical for flood-response activities, such as evacuations and road closures, as well as for post-flood recovery efforts.

USGS science is benefiting communities from Puerto Rico to Alaska, and places in between. In **Puerto Rico**, USGS provides maps of the probabilities of coastal change induced by hurricanes so that government officials, emergency managers and the public can prepare in advance, saving lives and property. To help communities in California assess vulnerability due to coastal flooding today and into the future, the USGS developed the Coastal Storm Modeling System (**CoSMoS**). This one-of-a-kind tool accounts for dynamic flood processes that increase water levels, including breaking waves, river discharge, storm surge, seasonal variability, tides, and changes in sea level. In **Alaska**, where climate is changing faster than anywhere else in the nation, seven decades of coastal change science are informing human adaptation activities that include relocating villages and infrastructure and managing habitat for many species.

Learn More

Climate Science Capabilities

# USGS Delivering Climate Science

To policymakers, resource managers, and the public to help guide better decisions for building sustainable resource stewardship across America’s public lands and beyond.

Explore Climate Science

Reducing Risk from Extreme Events with fire icon and hurricane satellite image in background

Impacts on Ecosystems with fish icon and landscape in background

Coal burning stacks with CO2 icon with cloud and "Carbon Emissions and Sequestration"

Water Availability with water droplet icon and image of drought (cracked ground) in the background

Energy and Minerals for the Future with mineral commodity icons with wind turbine field during sunset

Remote Sensing with satellite icon with Landsat image in background

Powerhouse of Paleo with globe icon and glacier image in background

stakeholders gathered with hand-shaking icon with "Climate Science in Action"

                  - Overview  Quickly jump to how USGS is delivering climate science:Wildland FireWildland FireAvalanche ForecastingAvalanche ForecastingStorms and FloodingStorms and FloodingDelivering Climate ScienceWildland Fire and Climate Change
The USGS develops state-of-the-art science to assess the effects of climate change on wildfire patterns. Although fire is an essential part of forest and rangeland health, hotter and drier conditions resulting from climate change are making wildfires grow more intense and destructive across much of the U.S.
        Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
USGS fire science is invaluable for fire management across the country and will only become more important as wildfire risk increases. From forecasting fire danger to studying how invasive species influence fire risk and severity to studying the short- and long-term environmental effects of wildfires, USGS science helps before, during and after fires. 
Learn MoreDelivering Climate ScienceAvalanche forecasting in Glacier National Park        Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
The USGS is a **leader in snow and avalanche science** and examines the effect of climate on avalanche behavior. On an annual basis in the western United States, avalanches cause more fatalities than earthquakes and all other forms of slope failure combined.    

As the climate changes, temperatures are increasing and mid-winter rain events are becoming more common, causing increased avalanche frequency.  By analyzing the behavior of avalanches and the specific weather and climate factors that contribute to them, USGS scientists advance understanding of wet snow avalanches to better inform avalanche forecasting efforts, hazard mitigation, and land-use planning in avalanche terrain.  

This science is critical in Glacier National Park, where avalanches impact the spring opening operations of the Going-to-the-Sun Road, a major attraction where **visitors contribute** $344 million to surrounding communities, park managers rely on **USGS expertise** to provide on-site avalanche forecasting.    
Learn MoreDelivering Climate SciencePreparing Coastal Communities for Flooding Now and Into the Future
The USGS helps communities prepare for and respond to storms, flooding and coastal change. Climate change impacts along our coasts can vary tremendously, depending on the type of coast, sea-level rise and the degree to which extreme waves and wind impact infrastructure or cause stress to natural coastal ecosystems. The USGS provides forecasts and assessments of **coastal change** at both short and long-term timeframes. These include **convenient, map-based access** to storm-surge and other data related to specific **hurricanes** and coastal storms as well as longer term trends in **shoreline change**.
Show only leftShow only right        Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media DetailsDownload ImagesSection of Fort Myers Beach, Florida, before and after Hurricane Ian, 2022. The area endured severe damage and coastal change from the storm including overwashed sand, coastal flooding, and in some places, erosion. The Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program uses remote sensing techniques such as satellite and aerial imagery to analyze changes to the coast as a result of these storms.
Nationwide, the USGS maintains the USGS **National Water Dashboard** interactive map to access real-time water data from over 13,500 stations nationwide. When extreme events occur, the **flood inundation mapper**, also provides emergency management personnel and residents with maps and information that are critical for flood-response activities, such as evacuations and road closures, as well as for post-flood recovery efforts.

USGS science is benefiting communities from Puerto Rico to Alaska, and places in between. In **Puerto Rico**, USGS provides maps of the probabilities of coastal change induced by hurricanes so that government officials, emergency managers and the public can prepare in advance, saving lives and property. To help communities in California assess vulnerability due to coastal flooding today and into the future, the USGS developed the Coastal Storm Modeling System (**CoSMoS**). This one-of-a-kind tool accounts for dynamic flood processes that increase water levels, including breaking waves, river discharge, storm surge, seasonal variability, tides, and changes in sea level. In **Alaska**, where climate is changing faster than anywhere else in the nation, seven decades of coastal change science are informing human adaptation activities that include relocating villages and infrastructure and managing habitat for many species.
Learn MoreClimate Science CapabilitiesUSGS Delivering Climate Science
To policymakers, resource managers, and the public to help guide better decisions for building sustainable resource stewardship across America’s public lands and beyond.
Explore Climate ScienceReducing Risk from Extreme Events with fire icon and hurricane satellite image in backgroundImpacts on Ecosystems with fish icon and landscape in backgroundCoal burning stacks with CO2 icon with cloud and "Carbon Emissions and Sequestration"Water Availability with water droplet icon and image of drought (cracked ground) in the backgroundEnergy and Minerals for the Future with mineral commodity icons with wind turbine field during sunsetRemote Sensing with satellite icon with Landsat image in backgroundPowerhouse of Paleo with globe icon and glacier image in backgroundstakeholders gathered with hand-shaking icon with "Climate Science in Action"