There are a number of important climate related issues in the news cycle in the Southwest, including El Niño and La Niña, the southwestern monsoon, tropical storm activity, increasing temperatures, fire risk and weather, drought and snowpack, and dwindling reservoir storage. In the monthly ‘Southwest Climate Podcast’ and in our special podcast series like ‘1075: Shortage on the Colorado River’, we discuss these issues in ways that include focus on details and nuance, but that (generally) avoid excessive technical jargon. Our goal is to synthesize information and data from experts, forecasts, and models to provide listeners with a better understanding of climate and weather in the Southwest. We discuss weather events and climate patterns, social and environmental contexts where these data and information might be applied, and the lessons that we can learn from recent events and long term experiences. This outreach effort could help listeners better understand or anticipate climate and environmental risks, leading to a more resilient future in the Southwest.
The quick turnaround of a monthly podcast ensures we can respond to specific events and emergent research in near real time, while the special series focus permits a closer look at issues of particular relevance