Updated Climate Scenarios for New York State

DESCRIPTION:

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (­ NYSERDA) has been studying, documenting, and modeling the impacts of climate change in New York State for several years. As public awareness of the impacts of climate change has grown, so have NYSERDA’s efforts to better understand and forecast both gradual changes and extreme events. In 2011, NYSERDA released Responding to Climate Change in New York State (­ ClimAID), which provides climate projections for the state, as well as detailed information on New York’s adaptation strategies and vulnerability to climate change. Working with the Columbia researchers and using the most up-to-date datasets, improved baseline scenarios, and the latest generation of climate models and emissions projections, NYSERDA has released Climate Change in New York State: Updating the 2011 ClimAID Climate Risk Information (the 2014 Update).

Projections for New York State
Updated climate models and methods have helped scientists refine their previous projections for higher average temperatures, changing precipitation patterns, and sea level rise in New York State. Scientists also project an increase in the frequency of extreme events, such as heat waves, heavy downpours, and coastal flooding. The 2014 Update highlights trends and projections for each of the seven regions in New York State for several climate variables: temperature, precipitation, extreme events, and sea level rise. Generally consistent with the 2011 ClimAID projections, these new projections represent a refinement based on updated science.