The county was supposed to conduct an annual tally of people experiencing homelessness this month. Then disaster struck.
Weather
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Wildfire … in winter?
Expect more fires like the fast-moving one in Malibu, scientists say.
Posted inDecember 2024: Land as Reparations
2024 was a year of wacky Western weather
When assessing the region, not much was normal but climate change.
Posted inNovember 2024: The Once and Future Prairie
How the climate is changing your energy bill
Wildfires and winter storms are costing utilities and families.
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How an unexpected storm reshaped Alaska’s west coast
Disaster recovery is a long game and the boats and driftwood that pepper Western Alaska’s tundra are the perfect reminder.
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Hiking in the heat
A conversation with the head of the preventive search and rescue program in Joshua Tree National Park.
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When a landslide blocks your commute
The Teton Pass collapse highlights the importance — and growing vulnerability — of mountain roads.
Posted inJune 2024: The Idea of Wilderness
California’s homelessness and climate crises leave unhoused communities vulnerable to floods
Seeking shelter, people are living in flood control channels and other flood-prone places.
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Can ice climbing bring life to an isolated Colorado town in the dead of winter?
Lake City’s ice-climbing park is transforming the local economy.
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More than a year later, a record storm still thwarts subsistence food harvests in Alaska
Destroyed boats, gear, berries and more left some Alaskans reliant on expensive store-bought food and neighbors.
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A hot spot for avalanche deaths in Idaho reveals forecasting gaps
Without reliable information, snowmobilers are riding eastern Idaho’s enticing terrain — and dying.
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Disaster disparities in the West
The risk of climate catastrophe is complex, but people of color often face ‘unnatural hazards.’
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What this winter’s snowfall says about the future of skiing
A snow-obsessed meteorologist dishes on this year’s precipitation — and what it means for winters to come.
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The West sizzles — even at midnight
Climate change and the urban heat islands take their toll from Phoenix to Portland.
Posted inOctober 2, 2023: The Dark Side of the Sheepherding Industry
The case of the Colorado River’s missing water
Researchers are trying to unravel the mystery of snow that falls but never shows up in the river.
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It’s summer. But in the Northwest, spring never showed
As spring gets weirder, warmer and less stable, water supplies, ecosystems and agriculture are getting out of whack.
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Yes, 90 degrees can be dangerous
From a jump in ER visits and gun violence to fears for maternal health, the Northwest’s May heat wave shows the dangers of more moderate, early heat waves.
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This year’s record-breaking snowpack is pouring into the dried-out Salt Lake
Snowmelt is replenishing depleted ecosystems and flooding communities.
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How social work can help fight the impacts of climate change
Denver’s Lisa Reyes Mason leads a new generation of social workers in helping communities adapt to the climate crisis.
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As the West’s epic snow melts, flood danger rises
How do 2023’s atmospheric rivers compare to past extremes and what can be expected in the future?