Yesterday, while our collaborators at Faith Alliance for Climate Solutions and volunteers were out collecting heat data across Northern VA, some of us here at the VCC were collecting data around the George Mason University Mason Square campus in Arlington. 🌡️

Jefferson's weather measurements were very impressive! We write about them in the Virginia Climate Assessment (www.vaclimate.gmu.edu/virginia-cli...) and there's even enough observations there to draw a rough climatology of his time at Monticello, in spite of gaps. @virginiaclimate.bsky.social

Marshall Shepherd @drshepherd2013.bsky.social · 2mo ago

ICYMI...Now trending www.forbes.com/sites/marsha...

This is a clear example of a compound hazard event (i.e., amplified societal impacts). Severe thunderstorms knocked out power for nearly 250,000 people last night, and many are now seeing near-record heat today while still without electricity. Orange: heat advisories Pink: excessive heat warnings

The cat's out of the bag! We've been working for years to re-establishment the State Climate Office at the @virginiaclimate.bsky.social and now we have an official mandate to continue and extend the task of arming Virginia with you to date weather and climate science.

Ed Maibach@maibached.bsky.social · 2mo ago

I’m so proud of and thankful for my @virginiaclimate.bsky.social colleagues for creating a State Climate Office at @georgemasonu.bsky.social to help protect the people & places of Virginia from our changing climate. @lortizuriarte.bsky.social @mason4c.bsky.social

I hate watching/listening to myself on video, but am very grateful to the folks at We're Good for letting me share all the great work at @virginiaclimate.bsky.social!

Virginia Climate Center@virginiaclimate.bsky.social · 2mo ago

We joined the We're Good podcast to discuss VCC's collaborations with Virginia communities that confront and enhance their resiliency to pressing climate challenges. Listen to @lortizuriarte.bsky.social's episode here 🎙️: weregood.net/podcast/ep39...

CCRA (a partnership between George Mason, CUNY, and MIT) and Mercury Insurance are partnering to chair a session at the @ametsoc.org 2027 Annual Meeting! The session, titled Managing Insurance and Reinsurance Financial Risk in an Era of Unprecedented Weather and Climate Extremes.

I’m not a fan of data centers, but if they are going to be developed, communities should make sure they are developed in ways that protect the health of all residents. @docsforclimate.bsky.social @gchalliance.bsky.social @lortizuriarte.bsky.social @mason4c.bsky.social

5 ways data centers endanger their local communities and the country as a whole

Even as they create and enable expansive virtual worlds, data centers are physical buildings in real communities around the nation and the globe.

theconversation.com

Sure but they‘re really stupid questions

🌡️ Hazardous heat will expand across the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast on Tuesday, as high temperatures reach the middle and upper 90s with widespread Major HeatRisk. Those without effective cooling and/or adequate hydration may be affected by the heat.

The Santa Marta conference on phasing out fossil fuels may prove to be this year's most important conversation about protecting human & planetary health from fossil fuel pollution & the climate change it's causing. Follow the action. @gchalliance.bsky.social. @coveringclimatenow.org @who.int

Santa Marta Conference: Health Must Become Imperative for Governments’ Exit From Fossil Fuel Dependence

Ahead of next week’s Santa Marta Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels in Colombia, the Global Climate and Health Alliance, a consortium of over 250 health organisation, is calling on the...

climateandhealthalliance.org

Ed Maibach@maibached.bsky.social · 5mo ago

Communities are becoming more reluctant to host data centers, sometimes citing health concerns. There isn't yet much direct evidence of health harms, but there is lots of indirect evidence to support the concern. Learn about it here. @virginiaclimate.bsky.social @virginiaclinicians.bsky.social

The Virginia Climate Center is building the infrastructure to provide climate services to the entire Commonwealth. From flood mapping along the bay and measuring urban heat to creating the Virginia Climate Assessment, our mission is to assist communities with the best data and science available.

Virginia Climate Center@virginiaclimate.bsky.social · 5mo ago

Since its creation in 2022, the VCC has been helping communities across Virginia meet their climate challenges. 🌱 Our students, faculty, & staff deliver climate data & resilience insights: from the First Virginia Climate Assessment to codeveloping solutions for dangerous flooding & extreme heat.

@virginiaclimate.bsky.social

The Washington Post@washingtonpost.com · 5mo ago

Virginia’s Highland County saw one of the worst syrup seasons in recent memory. A January ice storm and unseasonable March warmth disrupted conditions needed for sap collection. The consequences could be existential for producers. https://wapo.st/3NgNZrS

Virginia’s Highland County saw one of the worst syrup seasons in recent memory. A January ice storm and unseasonable March warmth disrupted conditions needed for sap collection. The consequences could be existential for producers. https://wapo.st/3NgNZrS

🔥Extreme heat warnings and heat advisories are already in place for many across California, Nevada and Arizona. The heat will spread east and south as the week progresses. For heat safety tips visit: www.weather.gov/safety/heat (2/2)

Heat Safety Tips and Resources

NWS All NOAA

weather.gov

Seeking lightning talk proposals! We’re hosting a half-day event on infectious disease & extreme weather and are inviting 5-minute talks from students, researchers, practitioners, and community members working in extreme weather, health, and disaster-related fields. Apply: buff.ly/MrYtnMv

New from the Virginia Climate Voices Blog: Public health expert Dr. MB Mitcham discusses climate impacts on agriculture, crop yields, supply chains, food access, & human labor 🧺 🌾 Read about the climate signal found in our food systems: www.vaclimate.gmu.edu/blog/climate-signal-food-systems

From farm to table - The climate signal showing up in our food systems — Virginia Climate Center

Public health expert Dr. MB Mitcham discusses climate impacts on agriculture, crop yields, supply chains, food access, and human labor.

vaclimate.gmu.edu

The American Academy of Actuaries warns that dismantling NCAR would degrade the catastrophe models insurers depend on to price climate risk—driving up premiums and threatening coverage availability nationwide. "Uncertainty carries a positive cost." www.riskmarketnews.com/trumps-clima...

Trump's Climate Supercomputer Plans Threaten US Insurance Market: Actuaries

A new letter from the American Academy of Actuaries draws a direct line between the planned dismantling of NCAR and higher homeowners insurance costs for US consumers.

riskmarketnews.com

I invite everyone working to reduce community flood risks and increase flood resilience in Virginia (or elsewhere) to attend. @virginiaclimate.bsky.social @mason4c.bsky.social @gmupres.bsky.social

Climate at the National Academies@climate.nationalacademies.org · 7mo ago

Join Climate at the National Academies in partnership with VASEM and UVA for a day-long program to discuss opportunities and challenges for flood resilience across the Commonwealth. Register now: https://ow.ly/SIqw50Ye3nS

"El Apagón" is the song Bad Bunny was performing during this part of the halftime show using imagery that was apparently too subtle for some people It's one of his most interesting songs with a ton of political context and meaning plus it’s an absolute banger

New research out of the VCC 💡 What are the health implications of Virginia's growing data center industry? Our experts examined Virginia's Data Center Alley, the world's largest concentrated data center hub, and its associated health risks. Read more: www.frontiersin.org/journals/cli...

Frontiers | Health implications of the rapid rise of data centers in Virginia: an exploratory assessment

Driven by advances in cloud computing, cryptocurrency, and artificial intelligence, the rapid proliferation of data centers may pose severe human and planeta...

frontiersin.org

The important new research by @nckmllx.bsky.social & colleagues about the community-borne costs of data centers is an important complement to this paper that @ngour.bsky.social, @lortizuriarte.bsky.social & I published last week on potential health impacts of data centers.

Frontiers | Health implications of the rapid rise of data centers in Virginia: an exploratory assessment

Driven by advances in cloud computing, cryptocurrency, and artificial intelligence, the rapid proliferation of data centers may pose severe human and planeta...

frontiersin.org

Jonathan Patz, MD, MPH@jonathanpatz.bsky.social · 7mo ago

Important new analysis on air pollution and electric power generation for data centers, led by our postdoc, Nick Mailloux, from our @csfh-lab.bsky.social Climate Solutions for Health Lab. @globalecoguy.bsky.social @katharinehayhoe.com @maibached.bsky.social @docsforclimate.bsky.social

#climaterisk

Bloomberg News@bloomberg.com · 7mo ago

This is what it’s like to work in some of the highest-stakes jobs in weather forecasting.

Do data centers harm people's health? Given the proliferation of data centers across VA, the US & world, it's an important yet unanswered question. In this paper, @ngour.bsky.social, @lortizuriarte.bsky.social & I examine the possibilities. @docsforclimate.bsky.social @georgemasonu.bsky.social

Frontiers | Health implications of the rapid rise of data centers in Virginia: an exploratory assessment

Driven by advances in cloud computing, cryptocurrency, and artificial intelligence, the rapid proliferation of data centers may pose severe human and planeta...

frontiersin.org

Rapidly scaling up clean energy & phasing out fossil fuels are highly effective ways to improve the health of nearly everyone alive today. We can make that happen. For inspiration, listen to what makes former GOP Senate Majority Leader @bfrist.bsky.social hopeful. @docsforclimate.bsky.social

Myth Diagnosis #16

Myth: “It’s hopeless.

billfrist.substack.com

Katharine Hayhoe@katharinehayhoe.com · 7mo ago

Did you know air pollution is the top preventable cause of premature death + ill-health in the world today: killing nearly 10 million people per year? And 2/3 of air pollution comes from burning fossil fuels? For more surprising & powerful facts on health and climate, follow @maibached.bsky.social

New postdoc opportunities in my group at Rutgers-New Brunswick, working on sea-level rise projections and/or coastal climate risk assessment & management

Our lab and collaborations are live at #AMS2026! If you have a spot open in your schedule this week, please check them out!

Trump Administration’s Illegal Work Fatally Taints EPA’s Proposal to Repeal Endangerment Finding. EDF & @ucs.org Call for Withdrawal of the Fundamentally Flawed Proposal

Union of Concerned Scientists

The Union of Concerned Scientists puts rigorous, independent science to work to solve our planet's most pressing problems. Joining with people across the country, we combine technical analysis and eff...

ucs.org

Jonathan Patz, MD, MPH@jonathanpatz.bsky.social · 7mo ago

Just breaking. Good to see the truth emerging: www.edf.org/media/newly-... @globalecoguy.bsky.social @katharinehayhoe.com @maibached.bsky.social