Attributing Extreme Weather Events to Climate Change

Extreme weather events are noticed more than changes in the "averages." A new branch of climate science has emerged called attribution. Attribution seeks to determine how contemporary extreme weather events are related to anthropogenic climate change This talk will provide an overview of attribution, recommendations for the the proper questions to ask after an event, and a synopsis of where the scientific literature lands on climate change links to tornadoes, hurricanes, heatwaves, floods, and drought. Dr. Shepherd was co-author of a recent National Academy of Science report that provided one of the most thorough assessments of attribution studies.