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Module: Climate Change and Regional Impacts - UCAR COMET

Initial Publication Date: April 29, 2016

Summary

Length - 25 minutes; Publish Date: 2012-08-14

This short module is an overview of the different effects climate change produces in different regions of the United States. In addition to discussing impacts already being experienced, the module presents information on how climate scientists use specialized models and statistical techniques to estimate how regional climates are likely to change in the future.


Learning Goals

  • Describe how temperatures have changed over the last 40 years as reflected in the new U.S. Climate Normals data.
  • Discuss some of the effects warmer temperatures have had in various parts of the United States
  • Explain why global climate models are not used to make regional climate predictions
  • Describe two techniques used to make regional projections of climate change
  • Discuss some of the regional changes expected due to climate change in the next century

Context for Use

See Teaching Notes.

Description and Teaching Materials

Go to >>Climate Change and Regional Impacts

Module Links:

  • Languages: English
  • Publish Date: 2012-08-14
  • Skill Level: 0 '
  • Completion Time: 0 - .25 h
  • Includes Audio: yes
  • Required Plugins: Flash

Teaching Notes and Tips


Assessment

Quiz is provided.

Note: At the request of COMET sponsors, this quiz is designed to demonstrate your successful completion of the module. Because the quiz is being administered online, upon completion you will be given only feedback on which questions you answered correctly and incorrectly. No additional instructional feedback is provided. However, should you need to, you can use this information to revisit the module to determine how to answer correctly and then attempt the quiz again.

References and Resources

Franco, G., D. Cayan, S. C. Moser, M. H. Hanemann, and M. A. Jones (2011). Second California Assessment: Integrated Climate Change Impacts Assessment of Natural and Managed Systems - An Introduction. Climatic Change 109 (Suppl. 1), online first: DOI: 10.1007/s10584-011-0318-z.

NOAA: Contiguous U.S. Temperature December-February 1896-2012.

Stewart, I. T., D. R. Cayan, M. D. Dettinger (2005). Changes toward Earlier Streamflow Timing across Western North America. J. of Climate, 18, pp 1136-1155.

U.S. Global Change Research Program: Global Climate Change Impacts in the US (2009).

Contributors

Citation

(2012). Module: Climate Change and Regional Impacts - UCAR COMET.