Documents

Eastern oysters fill a critical ecologic and economic niche along the Louisiana and Texas coasts. SCIPP team members recently contributed to research on the potential for aquaculture and restoration of eastern oysters under both current and future conditions. This brief summarizes the study results and provides insight on the implications of such research.

SCIPP is hiring an undergraduate Climate Communications Assistant. Key duties include translating peer-reviewed research into plain language and managing website/social media content. The selected candidate will begin in late April 2025. The job location is the National Weather Center, on the OU Norman campus. Visit jobs.ou.edu to access the application (Job Number: 250466) and learn more.

Tropical cyclones impact society and the environment in a variety of ways. Recent research provides increased insight on when and where tropical cyclones are likely to stall. Information about trends in stall frequency are also included. Read this brief to learn more about this research and its major takeaways.

SCIPP’s Summer Internship Program is offering up to 8 paid internships in the summer of 2025. University of Oklahoma Junior and Sophomore students are eligible for this opportunity, which will be hosted in various locations throughout the SCIPP region. Additional information about the requirements and application process/timeline can be found in this document.

• SCIPP Summer Internship Host Opportunity
• SCIPP at the 105th Annual American Meteorological Society Meeting
• Climate Adaptation in Fayetteville, Arkansas

SCIPP team members, Dr. Vincent Brown and Derek Thompson, created a preliminary report for the January 2025 snowstorm along the Gulf Coast. Information about snowfall depth and minimum temperatures are included in the report.

SCIPP works to understand the impacts of climate variability and change across the south-central U.S. This includes studying how cities are preparing to handle the challenges associated with climate change, while also building capacity and creating resources on climate hazards. The work presented in this report on Fayetteville is part of a larger study investigating climate adaptation, equity, and justice in three cities throughout the region: Tulsa, Oklahoma, Fayetteville, Arkansas, and Shreveport, Louisiana.

This research brief summarizes a study that analyzed how Oklahoma military installations prepare for and respond to extreme weather.

This research brief summarizes the results of a recent study on stakeholder involvement in mitigation discussions post-flooding event in three U.S. cities.

• SCIPP at the NOAA Climate Adaptation Partnerships Intergovernmental Briefing
• SCIPP Research Briefs
• Stalling North Atlantic Tropical Cyclones

This study contains a review of major threats to the Mississippi River Delta and any potential best practices that could be implemented to protect the region.

SCIPP is hiring an Engagement Associate. This person will focus on increasing our team’s capacity for stakeholder engagement activities through effective communication and event planning and execution. To learn more and apply, click here: https://bit.ly/4dt715n

The May 2021 extreme rainfall event caused extensive flooding in southeastern Texas and southern Louisiana, producing over $1 billion in damage. This paper discusses the synoptic setting of this historic rainfall event, which produced 15-19.8 inches of rain in some areas. It also compares the May 2021 event to another extreme precipitation event that affected southern Louisiana, the August 2016 flood.

The Mississippi River Delta (MRD), which plays an important role in Louisiana’s economy and hazard mitigation efforts, is increasingly threatened by climate change. In this study, investigators reviewed changes in the main climate stressors affecting the MRD. They argue that a priority shift from restoration to adaptation may be needed to protect the delta in the future.

• 2023-2024 Annual Report
• 2024 SCIPP Advisory Committee Meeting
• U.S. Military Installations and Extreme Weather

During winter 2023/2024, SCIPP worked alongside the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) to draft a report titled, “Heat-Related Emergency Department Visits in Louisiana: Review of Syndromic Surveillance Data for April through October 2023.” The report details the historic heat of 2023 and provides important information for heat safety. Additionally, SCIPP’s Vincent Brown and Charles Simson co-produced Python code with the LDH for a heat-related illness dashboard on their website that shows near-real time daily maximum temperatures and emergency department visits across Louisiana. The dashboard is available here.

• South Central Climate Resilience Forum 2024
• SCIPP Student Awarded 1st Place Poster at AMS Annual Conference
• Redesigned Simple Planning Tool

A comparative case study approach was employed to investigate three research questions:

• How does the quality of local hazard mitigation planning efforts in an inland region vary?
• How do local hazard mitigation planning networks vary in terms of membership, structure, and activities?
• How do local communities vary in the use and influence of consultants to assist with hazard mitigation planning?

• Registration is Now Open for the 2024 South Central Climate Resilience Forum
• Understanding Climate and Environmental Impacts for Vulnerable Residents in Tulsa
• 5th National Climate Assessment is Now Available

Tulsa is at a crossroads: develop climate adaptation strategies for the future or continue with business as usual. To understand if and how the city is progressing with adaptation, we conducted a series of interviews, analyzed documents from Tulsa city offices, and surveyed residents to hear where they are already experiencing extreme heat and flooding. The results are clear: Tulsa struggles with environmental issues across the board and is doing little when it comes to planning for the future. There is a deep distrust of the city government from residents and even across various agencies. Despite the adoption of a new comprehensive plan in June 2023, there is no sustainability or climate office within the city that can champion the environmental portions of the plan, making it unclear if these actions will be implemented.