Alan Rhoades
@mtnclimrhoades.bsky.social
🖥️⛰️❄️🌡️💦 | Hydroclimate | Research Scientist | Earth and Environmental Sciences Area @eesalbnl @BerkeleyLab | born and raised in the Sierra | views my own
Pinned
Snow pit to start off 2025! ~8500 feet. Avg ❄️🌡️was -1.6 deg C. Avg density was 363 kg/m^3. Cold content was -1.2 MJ/m^2. #LakeTahoe #CarsonPass #SWEet
Reposted by Alan Rhoades
The Vietnamese Bach Ma Mountain Peak station recorded one-day rainfall of 1,739 mm - close to the global one-day record and perhaps a new record for the northern hemisphere. It is part of a deluge Viet Nam has seen in October, shattering 35 precip records. e.vnexpress.net/news/news/en...
Vietnam sees 35 rainfall records broken in October - VnExpress International
Vietnam's northern and central regions saw a total of 35 rain records broken in October alone as two storms, Matmo and Fengshen, caused unprecedented downpours.
e.vnexpress.net
November 7, 2025 at 9:00 PM
The Vietnamese Bach Ma Mountain Peak station recorded one-day rainfall of 1,739 mm - close to the global one-day record and perhaps a new record for the northern hemisphere. It is part of a deluge Viet Nam has seen in October, shattering 35 precip records. e.vnexpress.net/news/news/en...
Reposted by Alan Rhoades
Climate projections indicate the Sahara Desert could see a 75% increase in precipitation by late 21st century, with broader shifts in rainfall patterns expected across Africa due to rising global temperatures. doi.org/g96xth
Rain in the Sahara? Researchers predict a wetter future for the desert
The Sahara Desert is one of the driest areas in the world. It gets just 3 inches of precipitation per year—one-tenth of the amount of Chicago's rain, sleet and snow.
phys.org
October 15, 2025 at 1:58 PM
Climate projections indicate the Sahara Desert could see a 75% increase in precipitation by late 21st century, with broader shifts in rainfall patterns expected across Africa due to rising global temperatures. doi.org/g96xth
“Climate is changing, and the rate and magnitude of change are unusual in human experience. People are the primary cause of modern climate change, mostly through burning fossil fuels. Those who study the scientific evidence overwhelmingly agree.”
www.ametsoc.org/ams/about-am...
www.ametsoc.org/ams/about-am...
The Practice and Assessment of Science: Five Foundational Flaws in the Department of Energy's 2025 Climate Report
Adopted by the Executive Committee of the AMS Council on 27 August 2025
www.ametsoc.org
August 28, 2025 at 3:35 PM
“Climate is changing, and the rate and magnitude of change are unusual in human experience. People are the primary cause of modern climate change, mostly through burning fossil fuels. Those who study the scientific evidence overwhelmingly agree.”
www.ametsoc.org/ams/about-am...
www.ametsoc.org/ams/about-am...
"the Trump administration is updating the [previously published] National Climate Assessments...Altering or revising previously published assessments would be a significant escalation in the administration’s attempts to wipe credible climate science off the record"
www.cnn.com/2025/08/07/c...
www.cnn.com/2025/08/07/c...
Energy chief suggests Trump administration is altering previously published climate reports | CNN
Wright said the Trump administration is updating the National Climate Assessments that have been previously published, which the administration recently removed from government websites.
www.cnn.com
August 7, 2025 at 4:36 PM
"the Trump administration is updating the [previously published] National Climate Assessments...Altering or revising previously published assessments would be a significant escalation in the administration’s attempts to wipe credible climate science off the record"
www.cnn.com/2025/08/07/c...
www.cnn.com/2025/08/07/c...
Reposted by Alan Rhoades
Specifically, in our paper we argue that RCP4.5 or RCP6.0 are more realistic representations of 2100 warming under current policy than the increasingly implausible RCP8.5 scenario. But the lower of those two – RCP4.5 – gives a 2100 warming range of around 1.8C to 4C!
July 29, 2025 at 9:03 PM
Specifically, in our paper we argue that RCP4.5 or RCP6.0 are more realistic representations of 2100 warming under current policy than the increasingly implausible RCP8.5 scenario. But the lower of those two – RCP4.5 – gives a 2100 warming range of around 1.8C to 4C!
Reposted by Alan Rhoades
“There is a lot of pressure to essentially leave the country or not pursue research.” scim.ag/3Gz4VWW
‘It’s a nightmare.’ U.S. funding cuts threaten academic science jobs at all levels
“There is a lot of pressure to essentially leave the country or not pursue research,” one Ph.D. student says
scim.ag
July 8, 2025 at 1:13 PM
“There is a lot of pressure to essentially leave the country or not pursue research.” scim.ag/3Gz4VWW
Reposted by Alan Rhoades
Feels like a weird time to be talking about regular stuff, but: if you're working on climate and snow and headed to AGU, consider submitting to our session! agu.confex.com/agu/agu25/pr...
Lucky to be organizing with @mtnclimrhoades.bsky.social , Will Rudisill, Kate Hale, @akoshkin.bsky.social
Lucky to be organizing with @mtnclimrhoades.bsky.social , Will Rudisill, Kate Hale, @akoshkin.bsky.social
a cartoon of snoopy laying in a red shack in the snow with the words trendreisst below him
Alt: a cartoon of snoopy laying in a red shack in the snow
media.tenor.com
July 1, 2025 at 11:36 PM
Feels like a weird time to be talking about regular stuff, but: if you're working on climate and snow and headed to AGU, consider submitting to our session! agu.confex.com/agu/agu25/pr...
Lucky to be organizing with @mtnclimrhoades.bsky.social , Will Rudisill, Kate Hale, @akoshkin.bsky.social
Lucky to be organizing with @mtnclimrhoades.bsky.social , Will Rudisill, Kate Hale, @akoshkin.bsky.social
Proud to share @areidy.bsky.social recent work which examined how California's water cycle could respond to warming & the potential "trickle down" implications for agriculture, ultimately concluding that the Sierra Nevada 🏔️ may transition into the Sierra Lluviosa 🌧️ iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1...
June 27, 2025 at 10:20 PM
Proud to share @areidy.bsky.social recent work which examined how California's water cycle could respond to warming & the potential "trickle down" implications for agriculture, ultimately concluding that the Sierra Nevada 🏔️ may transition into the Sierra Lluviosa 🌧️ iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1...
Reposted by Alan Rhoades
The White Cliffs of Dover have even been lit up with the stripes!
June 21, 2025 at 1:20 PM
The White Cliffs of Dover have even been lit up with the stripes!
"Over 250 million acres of public lands are eligible for sale in the bill...demanding the nomination of tracts within 30 days, then every 60 days until the arbitrary multi-million-acre goal is met, all without hearings, debate or public input"
www.wilderness.org/articles/med...
www.wilderness.org/articles/med...
250+ million acres of public lands eligible for sale in SENR budget reconciliation package
The bill mandates disposal of over 2 million acres of BLM and National Forest lands; public lands eligible for sale in the bill encompass over 250 million acres, including local recreation areas, wild...
www.wilderness.org
June 17, 2025 at 5:35 AM
"Over 250 million acres of public lands are eligible for sale in the bill...demanding the nomination of tracts within 30 days, then every 60 days until the arbitrary multi-million-acre goal is met, all without hearings, debate or public input"
www.wilderness.org/articles/med...
www.wilderness.org/articles/med...
"...We operated [climate.gov] exactly how you would want an independent, non-partisan communications group...It does seem to be part of this sort of slow & quiet way of keep[ing] science agencies from providing information to the American public about climate..."
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
Major US climate website likely to be shut down after almost all staff fired
Exclusive: Climate.gov, which supports public education on climate science, will soon no longer publish new content
www.theguardian.com
June 12, 2025 at 5:45 AM
"...We operated [climate.gov] exactly how you would want an independent, non-partisan communications group...It does seem to be part of this sort of slow & quiet way of keep[ing] science agencies from providing information to the American public about climate..."
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
Reposted by Alan Rhoades
There’s so much happening right now, I thought I’d put together a running thread on the dismantling of #climate and research and knowledge infrastructure in the United States 🧵
May 7, 2025 at 12:11 PM
There’s so much happening right now, I thought I’d put together a running thread on the dismantling of #climate and research and knowledge infrastructure in the United States 🧵
Reposted by Alan Rhoades
YouGov’s latest survey of trust in news sources continues to show big partisan divides. Full interactive here; gift link: wapo.st/43TBV55
May 31, 2025 at 1:05 PM
YouGov’s latest survey of trust in news sources continues to show big partisan divides. Full interactive here; gift link: wapo.st/43TBV55
Reposted by Alan Rhoades
A glacier partially collapsed in Switzerland, burying the village of Blatten in a huge landslide of ice, rock, and mud after residents had been evacuated.
Scientists called the collapse of the glacier “unprecedented” in the Swiss Alps.
Scientists called the collapse of the glacier “unprecedented” in the Swiss Alps.
May 29, 2025 at 4:17 PM
A glacier partially collapsed in Switzerland, burying the village of Blatten in a huge landslide of ice, rock, and mud after residents had been evacuated.
Scientists called the collapse of the glacier “unprecedented” in the Swiss Alps.
Scientists called the collapse of the glacier “unprecedented” in the Swiss Alps.
Reposted by Alan Rhoades
Trump administration cuts to NSF will result in more than 200,000 FEWER people per year involved in basic science, training, and education - what should have been the next generation of US scientists. This isn't even eating your seed corn, it is setting your seed corn on fire and salting the earth.
May 30, 2025 at 9:32 PM
Trump administration cuts to NSF will result in more than 200,000 FEWER people per year involved in basic science, training, and education - what should have been the next generation of US scientists. This isn't even eating your seed corn, it is setting your seed corn on fire and salting the earth.
Reposted by Alan Rhoades
First heli inspection of what remains of Blatten yesterday evening... 🚁😱🌊
SHOCKING!
Few buildings left are flooded
Little debris flow run through the deposit
Look at the height reached on the counterslope! 😮
🎥 Pomona
SHOCKING!
Few buildings left are flooded
Little debris flow run through the deposit
Look at the height reached on the counterslope! 😮
🎥 Pomona
May 29, 2025 at 11:08 AM
First heli inspection of what remains of Blatten yesterday evening... 🚁😱🌊
SHOCKING!
Few buildings left are flooded
Little debris flow run through the deposit
Look at the height reached on the counterslope! 😮
🎥 Pomona
SHOCKING!
Few buildings left are flooded
Little debris flow run through the deposit
Look at the height reached on the counterslope! 😮
🎥 Pomona
Reposted by Alan Rhoades
Spring contrasts! 😍
Mont Blanc massif 'remotely' seen from Loriaz today, with heavy colour contrasts between greening valleys and burnt areas just uncovered by snow ❄️
Aiguille Verte (4,122 m asl) center left with a scarf! 🏔️☁️
Textbook protalus rampart to the right! 😎🥰
📷 @lomdumtblanc.bsky.social
Mont Blanc massif 'remotely' seen from Loriaz today, with heavy colour contrasts between greening valleys and burnt areas just uncovered by snow ❄️
Aiguille Verte (4,122 m asl) center left with a scarf! 🏔️☁️
Textbook protalus rampart to the right! 😎🥰
📷 @lomdumtblanc.bsky.social
May 24, 2025 at 8:21 PM
Spring contrasts! 😍
Mont Blanc massif 'remotely' seen from Loriaz today, with heavy colour contrasts between greening valleys and burnt areas just uncovered by snow ❄️
Aiguille Verte (4,122 m asl) center left with a scarf! 🏔️☁️
Textbook protalus rampart to the right! 😎🥰
📷 @lomdumtblanc.bsky.social
Mont Blanc massif 'remotely' seen from Loriaz today, with heavy colour contrasts between greening valleys and burnt areas just uncovered by snow ❄️
Aiguille Verte (4,122 m asl) center left with a scarf! 🏔️☁️
Textbook protalus rampart to the right! 😎🥰
📷 @lomdumtblanc.bsky.social
Reposted by Alan Rhoades
The Trump administration just dropped an executive order, "Restoring Gold Standard Science" and there's lots to unpack. This EO reveals more about how the Administration will approach scientific integrity and science in regulatory contexts. Some initial thoughts. 🧵
www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...
www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...
Restoring Gold Standard Science
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including section 7301 of title 5, United
www.whitehouse.gov
May 23, 2025 at 11:01 PM
The Trump administration just dropped an executive order, "Restoring Gold Standard Science" and there's lots to unpack. This EO reveals more about how the Administration will approach scientific integrity and science in regulatory contexts. Some initial thoughts. 🧵
www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...
www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...
Reposted by Alan Rhoades
NEW: Under Trump, the National Science Foundation is awarding grants at the slowest pace in decades. We took a detailed look at every area of science affected by the funding lag. Here's a gift link: www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
May 22, 2025 at 1:21 PM
NEW: Under Trump, the National Science Foundation is awarding grants at the slowest pace in decades. We took a detailed look at every area of science affected by the funding lag. Here's a gift link: www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
Reposted by Alan Rhoades
The mountains feeding the Colorado River have less than 50% of the average snowpack for this time of year. This means that the Colorado River could see low water volume, putting the millions of Americans who rely on it for drinking water, agriculture, and hydropower at risk.
May 17, 2025 at 12:00 AM
The mountains feeding the Colorado River have less than 50% of the average snowpack for this time of year. This means that the Colorado River could see low water volume, putting the millions of Americans who rely on it for drinking water, agriculture, and hydropower at risk.
Reposted by Alan Rhoades
Scientists have been publishing climate models since ~1970.
A good way to evaluate their skill is to compare what they expected to happen in the years after the model was published to observed climate changes.
It turns out most models were pretty spot-on:
A good way to evaluate their skill is to compare what they expected to happen in the years after the model was published to observed climate changes.
It turns out most models were pretty spot-on:
May 14, 2025 at 11:23 PM
Scientists have been publishing climate models since ~1970.
A good way to evaluate their skill is to compare what they expected to happen in the years after the model was published to observed climate changes.
It turns out most models were pretty spot-on:
A good way to evaluate their skill is to compare what they expected to happen in the years after the model was published to observed climate changes.
It turns out most models were pretty spot-on:
"The proposed budget for FY26, just released by the White House, cuts NOAA by ~30%...[staff layoffs already leave] nation’s official weather forecast entity at a deficit–down >10% of its staffing– as we head into busiest time for severe storm predictions like 🌪️ & 🌀"
www.cbsnews.com/news/former-...
www.cbsnews.com/news/former-...
Former National Weather Service leaders warn about "loss of life" from NOAA cuts
In an open letter, all the living former NWS directors warned about the impact of staffing and program cuts to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
www.cbsnews.com
May 10, 2025 at 12:05 PM
"The proposed budget for FY26, just released by the White House, cuts NOAA by ~30%...[staff layoffs already leave] nation’s official weather forecast entity at a deficit–down >10% of its staffing– as we head into busiest time for severe storm predictions like 🌪️ & 🌀"
www.cbsnews.com/news/former-...
www.cbsnews.com/news/former-...
"CA lawmakers are looking for ways to make up for federal research cuts...Senate Bill 829 would create the CA Institute for Scientific Research, which would give grants & loans to universities & orgs...[for research on] disease prevent. & weather forecasting [et al]"
www.capradio.org/articles/202...
www.capradio.org/articles/202...
New bill would make up for lost research and vaccine dollars from federal government
The legislation would start a new state research institute and task a state program with distributing vaccines.
www.capradio.org
May 8, 2025 at 12:22 AM
"CA lawmakers are looking for ways to make up for federal research cuts...Senate Bill 829 would create the CA Institute for Scientific Research, which would give grants & loans to universities & orgs...[for research on] disease prevent. & weather forecasting [et al]"
www.capradio.org/articles/202...
www.capradio.org/articles/202...
Reposted by Alan Rhoades
May 6, 2025 at 3:19 PM
Reposted by Alan Rhoades
These numbers have almost certainly gone up since this update, but Truckee is one of the top 10 CA FAIR plan exposures in the state, at $4.1BN in exposure.
So a 90% failure rate in wildfire prep is... not ideal.
boe.ca.gov/meetings/pdf...
So a 90% failure rate in wildfire prep is... not ideal.
boe.ca.gov/meetings/pdf...
May 5, 2025 at 8:04 PM
These numbers have almost certainly gone up since this update, but Truckee is one of the top 10 CA FAIR plan exposures in the state, at $4.1BN in exposure.
So a 90% failure rate in wildfire prep is... not ideal.
boe.ca.gov/meetings/pdf...
So a 90% failure rate in wildfire prep is... not ideal.
boe.ca.gov/meetings/pdf...