Abstract
This paper reports our review of research on domestic climate extremes conducted by US physical geographers over the past 15 years. Sections cover extremes in wind, precipitation, lightning, and temperature, as well as derivative climate extremes (droughts, floods, and storm surges). Themes considered include: the spatial and temporal distribution of the climate extreme; its implications for our understanding of the physical processes that produce it; the spatial and temporal distributions of the extremes economic and human costs; lessons for assessment, policy, and management; and scale. We conclude that most of the works reviewed inadequately address the human basis of vulnerability to climate extremes, and encourage physical geographers to work with colleagues from the other subfields of geography and the social sciences to develop the holistic understanding of vulnerability needed to effectively adapt to the more extreme climate projected under climate change.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 3-21 |
Number of pages | 19 |
Journal | Physical Geography |
Volume | 35 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2014 Jan 2 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Climate change
- Climate extremes
- Derechos
- Drought
- Extreme heat
- Extreme precipitation
- Floods
- Hurricanes
- Lightning
- Storm surge
- Tornados
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Environmental Science
- Atmospheric Science
- Earth and Planetary Sciences (miscellaneous)
- General Earth and Planetary Sciences