Jess Whitehead, Ph.D.
@drjesswhitehead.bsky.social
Coastal resilience science and policy. I don't resilience officer anymore. A pacemaker runs my heart. Climate, disaster, parenting, and cats from Norfolk, VA. Previously NC, SC, and coastal East Coast communities near you. Views my own (she/her)
We're losing on resilience: building back to higher standards costs $ and takes longer. Politicians are reaping ROI now on saying they did it fast & cheap assuming they'll be long gone before the next storm's bad news coverage of how much federal & state tax $$$ wasted on places that flooded again.
May 24, 2025 at 1:57 PM
We're losing on resilience: building back to higher standards costs $ and takes longer. Politicians are reaping ROI now on saying they did it fast & cheap assuming they'll be long gone before the next storm's bad news coverage of how much federal & state tax $$$ wasted on places that flooded again.
In 2017, I and all members of the Sustained National Climate Assessment Federal Advisory Committee were dismissed when the committee was allowed to sunset after 1 of 2 planned terms.
Today I and all the #NCA6 authors were released from the #NationalClimateAssessment. Not unexpected but still hurts.
Today I and all the #NCA6 authors were released from the #NationalClimateAssessment. Not unexpected but still hurts.
April 28, 2025 at 8:35 PM
In 2017, I and all members of the Sustained National Climate Assessment Federal Advisory Committee were dismissed when the committee was allowed to sunset after 1 of 2 planned terms.
Today I and all the #NCA6 authors were released from the #NationalClimateAssessment. Not unexpected but still hurts.
Today I and all the #NCA6 authors were released from the #NationalClimateAssessment. Not unexpected but still hurts.
Reposted by Jess Whitehead, Ph.D.
Our new paper is out and named after your favorite Bananarama (Taylor Swift) song!
Tl;dr: ERA5-Land shows humid heat has gotten more intense, frequent, and longer in the Southeast US (even in Fall!), especially at night, and in the Florida Peninsula and Louisiana.
Also, blame dewpoint.
Tl;dr: ERA5-Land shows humid heat has gotten more intense, frequent, and longer in the Southeast US (even in Fall!), especially at night, and in the Florida Peninsula and Louisiana.
Also, blame dewpoint.
March 19, 2025 at 1:26 PM
Our new paper is out and named after your favorite Bananarama (Taylor Swift) song!
Tl;dr: ERA5-Land shows humid heat has gotten more intense, frequent, and longer in the Southeast US (even in Fall!), especially at night, and in the Florida Peninsula and Louisiana.
Also, blame dewpoint.
Tl;dr: ERA5-Land shows humid heat has gotten more intense, frequent, and longer in the Southeast US (even in Fall!), especially at night, and in the Florida Peninsula and Louisiana.
Also, blame dewpoint.
Reposted by Jess Whitehead, Ph.D.
The outlines of a White House plan to produce a government science report that highlights the "benefits" of climate change is coming together. The intent is to expand presidential power, target regulations and fight litigation filed against fossil fuel companies. www.eenews.net/articles/tru...
Trump’s next climate move: Show global warming benefits humanity
A new federal report downplaying or denying climate change could drive a reversal of climate rules and expansion of executive authority.
www.eenews.net
March 10, 2025 at 1:55 PM
The outlines of a White House plan to produce a government science report that highlights the "benefits" of climate change is coming together. The intent is to expand presidential power, target regulations and fight litigation filed against fossil fuel companies. www.eenews.net/articles/tru...
Reposted by Jess Whitehead, Ph.D.
How long does it take to rebuild housing after a wildfire? We analyzed property-level data from four recent disasters to illustrate the speed at which communities rebuild (and some of the reasons why):
with @sara-mctarnaghan.bsky.social, @aleszu.bsky.social and Kameron Lloyd.
shorturl.at/Iyvky
with @sara-mctarnaghan.bsky.social, @aleszu.bsky.social and Kameron Lloyd.
shorturl.at/Iyvky
When Will Los Angeles Rebuild? Comparing Housing Recovery Timelines After Four Recent Wildfires
Rebuilding a city can take years after a wildfire, and context is key—as recent wildfires can teach us.
www.urban.org
February 19, 2025 at 3:50 PM
How long does it take to rebuild housing after a wildfire? We analyzed property-level data from four recent disasters to illustrate the speed at which communities rebuild (and some of the reasons why):
with @sara-mctarnaghan.bsky.social, @aleszu.bsky.social and Kameron Lloyd.
shorturl.at/Iyvky
with @sara-mctarnaghan.bsky.social, @aleszu.bsky.social and Kameron Lloyd.
shorturl.at/Iyvky
Reposted by Jess Whitehead, Ph.D.
SCOOP @bloomberg.com: Top officials at the US Department of Homeland Security received a memo from Sec. Kristi Noem on Friday ordering an immediate stop to work connected to climate change and the elimination of climate-related terms across the agency.
Gift link: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Gift link: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Trump Ends Climate Work Inside Agency That Responds to Disasters
A memo sent to leadership at the US Department of Homeland Security orders the elimination of climate-related activities.
www.bloomberg.com
February 16, 2025 at 12:22 PM
SCOOP @bloomberg.com: Top officials at the US Department of Homeland Security received a memo from Sec. Kristi Noem on Friday ordering an immediate stop to work connected to climate change and the elimination of climate-related terms across the agency.
Gift link: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Gift link: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Reposted by Jess Whitehead, Ph.D.
NEW: @noaa.gov offices have been asked to search their grants for climate-related keywords, among other executive order-related terms. This could put climate grant-funding in the crosshairs if/once the judicial order holding the funding freeze back is lifted. www.axios.com/2025/02/09/n...
NOAA told to search its grants for climate change terms
The search would provide a list of NOAA's climate change-related grants.
www.axios.com
February 9, 2025 at 9:57 PM
NEW: @noaa.gov offices have been asked to search their grants for climate-related keywords, among other executive order-related terms. This could put climate grant-funding in the crosshairs if/once the judicial order holding the funding freeze back is lifted. www.axios.com/2025/02/09/n...
A coda for those of y'all who knew me from my account Over There: if any of you remember Sully, our #WeatherReadyCat from my Sea Grant days, I'm sorry to say we lost him three weeks ago today to cancer. He was only 8 - wait, that was 8 years ago? - and we miss him. Hug your fur babies!
January 23, 2025 at 4:50 PM
A coda for those of y'all who knew me from my account Over There: if any of you remember Sully, our #WeatherReadyCat from my Sea Grant days, I'm sorry to say we lost him three weeks ago today to cancer. He was only 8 - wait, that was 8 years ago? - and we miss him. Hug your fur babies!
Also drawing attention to proposed NFIP subsidy elimination. All flood insurance bills immediately increase to actuarial rates. Homeowners w/ mortgages inside the 100yr floodplain will have to absorb cost immediately (rather than path Risk Rating 2.0 provided) or go on the market.
January 23, 2025 at 1:29 PM
Also drawing attention to proposed NFIP subsidy elimination. All flood insurance bills immediately increase to actuarial rates. Homeowners w/ mortgages inside the 100yr floodplain will have to absorb cost immediately (rather than path Risk Rating 2.0 provided) or go on the market.
Reposted by Jess Whitehead, Ph.D.
Useful resource tracking Trump climate rollbacks, from @sabincenter.bsky.social
Climate Backtracker | Sabin Center for Climate Change Law
climate.law.columbia.edu
January 22, 2025 at 6:43 PM
Useful resource tracking Trump climate rollbacks, from @sabincenter.bsky.social
Reposted by Jess Whitehead, Ph.D.
Things continue to be complicated, though, for the many, many people in the region who rely on wells that were contaminated during the storm www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
Many Wells in North Carolina Remain Unsafe After Helene’s Deluge
A third of state residents use private wells, and about four out of 10 wells tested after Hurricane Helene weren’t safe, highlighting the risks of extreme weather for millions of Americans.
www.nytimes.com
November 18, 2024 at 7:55 PM
Things continue to be complicated, though, for the many, many people in the region who rely on wells that were contaminated during the storm www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
Reposted by Jess Whitehead, Ph.D.
Asheville, a city of 95,000 people, has been without drinkable water for 53 days after getting hit by a hurricane. It's finally back wlos.com/news/local/b...
Breaking: Boil water notice has been lifted, Water Resources Department says
It was the news everyone has been waiting for... the boil water advisory, which has been in effect for weeks following Helene, has been lifted.
wlos.com
November 18, 2024 at 7:45 PM
Asheville, a city of 95,000 people, has been without drinkable water for 53 days after getting hit by a hurricane. It's finally back wlos.com/news/local/b...
This is one of my favorite #NCA5 resources. It's a great tool if your local gov't, agency, or org is exploring the basics of what climate stressors you're facing and how to do more. For some adaptation purposes that's enough, for others it helps point you towards what additional analysis you need.
The NCA Atlas is an interactive tool that lets users zoom into a location and create maps using the same data in NCA5. It includes extra layers, like Justice40 and watershed mapping. If the exact map you need isn’t one of the 400 figures in the report, you can make your own! atlas.globalchange.gov
November 18, 2024 at 12:23 PM
This is one of my favorite #NCA5 resources. It's a great tool if your local gov't, agency, or org is exploring the basics of what climate stressors you're facing and how to do more. For some adaptation purposes that's enough, for others it helps point you towards what additional analysis you need.
Well, I'm here. This is going to take me a minute to figure this thing out. Guess it's my fault for joining the exodus when all the grant applications were also due?
November 18, 2024 at 12:18 PM
Well, I'm here. This is going to take me a minute to figure this thing out. Guess it's my fault for joining the exodus when all the grant applications were also due?
*taps mic* is this thing on?
*squelch*
Climate change is still real.
*sits back to see if negativity descends like a mound of swarming fire ants*
*squelch*
Climate change is still real.
*sits back to see if negativity descends like a mound of swarming fire ants*
November 12, 2024 at 12:40 PM
*taps mic* is this thing on?
*squelch*
Climate change is still real.
*sits back to see if negativity descends like a mound of swarming fire ants*
*squelch*
Climate change is still real.
*sits back to see if negativity descends like a mound of swarming fire ants*