Extreme heat rarely occurs in isolation. It often interacts with other hazards “such as drought, air pollution, and wildfires” resulting in greater risks to human health, infrastructure, and the economy. This webinar will highlight NOAA-supported research that has advanced our understanding of these compounding and cascading impacts of extreme heat. Speakers will share new insights on: how drought conditions intensify heat waves and increase exposure to extreme temperatures; how heat and humidity influence air quality and particulate matter formation; and how communities are strengthening household-level health protections during overlapping heat and wildfire smoke events.
wildfire smoke
WMSMART and AirNow
AI Applications in Earth and Climate Science: Wildfires
Air Quality and Wildfire Smoke Forecasting for the State of Utah
Dr. Heather Holmes will discuss air quality and smoke forecasting products in Utah as part of an National Science Foundation Civic Innovation Challenge (NSF CIVIC) funded project. Dr. Holmes’ Community Resilience through Engaging, Actionable, Timely, high-rEsolution Air Quality Information (CREATE-AQI) project
aims to protect children from air quality hazards by providing air quality alerts to local decision-makers and equipping indoor air quality sensors in childcare facilities across Utah. CREATE-AQI is also developing an automated air-quality modeling system to provide three-day Air Quality Index (AQI) forecasts with an hourly time resolution on a 12-km horizontal grid.