Learn about Atmospheric Rivers with Deanna Nash, Ph.D. at the Center Western Weather and Water Extremes (CW3E)

Next information session: February 27th, 2025 @ 8 am AKST

We host monthly landslide information-sharing sessions on the last Thursday of every month at 8am AKT.

Next information session: February 27th, 2025 @ 8 am AKST

Join the meeting on Teams | Meeting ID: 213 957 495 547 | Passcode: p57DEG

Deanna Nash, Ph.D. | Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes (CW3E) | Scripps Oceanography

Atmospheric Rivers (ARs), long and narrow bands of intense water vapor transport, reach Southeast Alaska 8–15 days per month, yet only six AR days per year account for up to 93% of extreme precipitation days, which are likely to lead to impacts such as landslides and floods. Current research identifies key meteorological conditions to better differentiate between forecasted ARs that are likely to lead to impacts and those that are not. Collaborative efforts with the National Weather Service forecast office in Juneau are pursuing the development of AR-based forecasting tools to improve the forecasters’ ability to assess the impact of incoming ARs 3—10 days in advance. This will then allow the forecasters to communicate potential impact information caused by ARs to emergency managers, fire and/or police chiefs, village police safety officers, etc., and the public, so they can take appropriate actions to prepare their community for impactful weather events.