For the climate impacts (Factor 2) section, ‘broader context’ refers to understanding the impacts of the earth's changing climate; such as: extreme heat, sea level rise, wildfire, and extreme precipitation. This factor aims to localize, explain, and provide narratives for educators and school communities to better understand and make sense of environmental and climate related data projections over the course of four decades (2020-2029, 2030-2039, 2040-2049, 2050-2059).
The information in this climate impacts section can be used in a variety of ways by school communities and leaders; for example:
Become more familiar with climate impacts in general and how they will impact at the local level
Explore which climate impacts might be most relevant to one's school community
Participate in an experiential role-play simulation to consider the big picture of these climate impacts in a school year across multiple decades - see an example of the role-play simulation here: Climate Impacts Simulation
Consider how to prepare for different climate impacts as part of an overall emergency planning process. Learn more about Local Education Agencies who are adopting a climate ready mindset in the Open Door Webinars and Spotlights from the Understanding Climate Impacts and Climate Adaptations for Schools Professional Development Series that Ten Strands and Undaunted K12 did in partnership with the the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence (CCEE)
Video Overview of Climate Impacts Data ↓
Key Questions
Core Question: What are the projected climate impacts for each county in California in the next three-to-four decades?
Additional Questions:
Which climate impacts have the greatest threat to the core functions of TK-12 schools, and what does the data show for how these impacts will affect each county region?
How are these climate impacts impacting the following aspects of school: school infrastructure and resources, the physical and mental health of students and employees, and the ability to learn and play safely and without ongoing climate related disruptions?
Data Methodology
The data sources used for the Climate Impacts Data Focus Area come from a number of different government, academic, and non-governmental data sources that were chosen for their availability, credibility, and wealth of information.
The Climate Impacts Data Focus Area follows the Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) of +4.5, which is a mid-range scenario. Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP) are models or scenarios that account for time and how anthropogenic impact on the environment will impact ecosystems and the climate. RCPs are commonly referenced in climate change literature, especially within the context of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports.
In order to create a more simplified tool, custom date ranges were selected and averaged from the initial sources before being added to the spreadsheet for this initiative. Please visit the source websites for more detailed versions of the climate impact projections.
Cal-Adapt is used for extreme heat data, wildfire probability, and extreme precipitation
Risk Finder is used to predict rising sea levels
FEMA National Wildfire Risk Index is used to show current wildfire risk
CDPH Climate Change and Health Profile Reports are used in tandem with Cal-Adapt to find a general overview of precipitation data and highlight extreme precipitation events
Climate Vulnerability Index is used for all climate impacts focus areas
California Schools Climate Hazards dashboard, which was developed by a team of graduate students at the Bren School of Environmental Science & Management at UC Santa Barbara in 2024 as part of a pilot project funded by the National Science Foundation, the Climate Adaptation Solutions Accelerator (CASA).
Climate Impacts by Indicator
Click on the icons or links below to view the data for each specific climate impact: heat, wildfire, precipitation, and sea level rise. The individual pages will also explain potential disruptions to schools and recommendations for how schools can mitigate, respond, and recover to climate related emergencies.
A biome is a distinct geographical region with specific climate and biodiversity (plants and animals). The section below provides a generalized overview of the characteristics of some of California’s most common biomes in the left column. The additional columns include considerations for how a climate-related occurrence (high heat, wildfire, extreme precipitation, and sea level rise) might feel in the different biomes.
Click on the arrow to expand the information about how different climate impacts might be felt in different biomes.
Areas that are primarily used for farming and ranching. This biome is highly dependent on human management and relies on irrigation.
Increased temperatures may lead to more frequent drought straining irrigation systems. High heat also accelerates soil moisture evaporation, leading to more frequent watering needs.
Wildfires can devastate crops, soil health, and infrastructure. Flames may spread rapidly through dry fields and pastures, and smoke can settle in valleys, affecting air quality and contaminating crops and soil.
With the increase of precipitation and storm events, there may be increased damages in the agricultural production of these lands, affecting the irrigation systems and soil erosion.
The coastal biome in California spans the Pacific Ocean shoreline, including sandy beaches, rocky cliffs, wetlands, and estuaries.
When coastal communities are unable to cool with sea breezes heat can be oppressive, and wetlands and estuaries will experience accelerated evaporation rates.
Coastal areas are less prone to wildfires, but dry vegetation in places like coastal scrublands or grasslands can still fuel fires. Coastal cities and towns may experience poor air quality due to drifting wildfire smoke.
Coastal areas are more prone to high rainfall, and higher risk of typhoons and hurricanes. There is a risk of flooding and an increase in storm surges in these areas.
A largely dry environment (very infrequent moisture), with higher heat than other areas, and higher winds that can affect storms.
High heat days in the desert can be unbearable as daytime temperatures soar with little relief at night. Increased heat can also lead to stronger winds and dust storms.
Although deserts generally have sparse vegetation, wildfires can still occur in desert areas, especially during windy conditions that spread flames across dried-out plants like scrub and grasses.
Because this biome is usually dry, even small amounts of precipitation can lead to flash floods, soil erosion, and high humidity due to the rapid evaporation of larger amounts of moisture.
A forest is an ecosystem characterized by a dense community of trees and undergrowth. California's forests include a range of ecosystems from coastal redwood forests to mixed conifer forests in the Sierra Nevada.
High heat can lead to increased evaporation in forests, making trees and vegetation more susceptible to wildfires. Prolonged high temperatures can also weaken trees, making them more prone to disease and insect infestations.
Forests are highly vulnerable to wildfires, especially during periods of high heat and drought. Dense vegetation and dry undergrowth can fuel fires that rapidly spread, often creating large, intense blazes that are difficult to control.
More plant life and an atmosphere that is often cooler in temperature and can be prone to more precipitation. When exposed to extreme precipitation there is a large risk of tree damage and soil erosion. Because of the water in these areas storms and precipitation can become more prominent in these areas.
This is an environment that mainly consists of prairie or savanna fields, largely dominated by grass growth.
Due to accelerated evaporation of surface water grass can dry out quickly, leading to parched soil that makes it harder for grass to regrow, and leads to more vulnerability to wildfire.
Grasslands are particularly susceptible to fast-moving fires due to the dominance of dry grasses, which can ignite and spread flames over large areas. Smoke from grassland fires can be thick.
While grasslands are adapted to mitigate storm water better than agricultural land, extreme inundation can lead to run-off and landslides.
Characterized by high elevation, steep slopes, and a variety of ecosystems that change with altitude. These regions feature varying climates, with dense forests, alpine meadows, and snow-covered peaks.
Lower elevations feeling heat more intensely, leading to drying out of vegetation and increased wildfire risks. Higher up, the snowpack melts more rapidly during heat waves, reducing water availability for ecosystems and downstream communities.
Wildfires in mountainous areas can be extremely dangerous due to the steep terrain and dense vegetation Fires can move quickly up slopes, while smoke can settle in valleys, creating long-lasting air quality issues.
Mountains play a crucial role in California’s water supply, as snowmelt from the Sierra Nevada feeds rivers and reservoirs. If there is potential for less precipitation, snowpacks will contain less usable water, and an increase leads to potential flooding and landslides.
Heavily dominated by human built landscape (buildings, roads, etc.), with human managed natural landscape and altered water cycles.
Concrete, asphalt, and buildings trap heat, making cities warmer than surrounding natural areas with little ability to cool down at night (urban heat island effect). Particulate matter is impacted by heat and leads to poor air quality.
Wildfires near cities can lead to mass evacuations and property damage. Smoke from nearby wildfires can blanket urban areas, worsening air quality. The urban heat island effect can exacerbate smoke by trapping pollutants close to the ground.
If there is an increase in precipitation infrastructures and stormwater systems can be overwhelmed. More risks of flooding and infrastructure damage can be observed in these areas.
Climate Impacts by County
*Note: the dashboard sometimes takes a while to load. If you don't see anything or get an error, try reloading.
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Climate Impacts by School Site
*Note this dashboard take you to an external database and dashboard that is maintained by external partners
Purpose and Overview: The California Schools Climate Hazards Dashboard is intended for students and teachers to use as a resource in the classroom and at home. By exploring climate hazards locally, students and teachers can become empowered to make better decisions for their communities. The dashboard was created by a team of graduate students at the Bren School of Environmental Science & Management at UC Santa Barbara in 2024 as part of a pilot project funded by the National Science Foundation, the Climate Adaptation Solutions Accelerator (CASA). To learn more about this project visit their 2024 project overview page.
Key Focus for Data: This dashboard provides localized climate hazard data for over 10,000 public schools across California. The following climate hazards can be viewed: extreme heat, wildfire, extreme precipitation, flooding, and sea level rise.
Related Resources
Hechinger Report Articles:
