GEOG 313 - Natural Disasters

View real-time maps showing where climate-related hazards are occurring today
Check how your exposure to five common climate-related hazards is projected to change over time
Learn more about climate-related hazards and federal policies relevant to climate adaptation

"Climate Data Online (CDO) provides free access to NCDC's archive of global historical weather and climate data in addition to station history information. These data include quality controlled daily, monthly, seasonal, and yearly measurements of temperature, precipitation, wind, and degree days as well as radar data and 30-year Climate Normals."

EPA has considerable expertise on the potential health impacts for any type of natural disaster. EPA may collect samples or monitor conditions in or near disaster areas.

Learn about the formal disaster declaration process, disaster types, how FEMA gets involved, and other resources.

"We are the Nation’s leading authority for environmental data, and manage one of the largest archives of atmospheric, coastal, geophysical, and oceanic research in the world."

When a disaster is declared, the Federal government, led by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), responds at the request of, and in support of, States, Tribes, Territories, and Insular Areas and local jurisdictions impacted by a disaster. Response actions are organized under the National Response Framework.

Centers for Disease Control's information web site on Natural Disasters.

Know what disasters and hazards could affect your area, how to get emergency alerts, and where you would go if you and your family need to evacuate. Make sure your family has a plan and practices it often.

"USAID plays a vital role in mitigating climate change and addressing its impacts by partnering with more than 45 countries to implement ambitious emissions reduction measures, protect critical ecosystems, transition to renewable energy, build resilience against the impacts of climate change, and promote the flow of capital toward climate-positive investments. We are also integrating climate considerations across USAID’s portfolio to protect development progress."

These resources serve to prepare IHEs for a variety of natural disasters, including winter storms, floods, tornados, hurricanes, wildfires, earthquakes, or any combination thereof.

The Earth is a very dynamic place. Sometimes conditions change across its diverse landscape, leading to situations where natural hazards can become disasters that threaten society. The USGS has a long and storied history of monitoring and studying natural hazards of all kinds. Explore below for a bit more information about what we do and how we can help keep you safe.

"The Climate Change Knowledge Portal (CCKP) provides global data on historical and future climate, vulnerabilities, and impacts. Explore them via Country and Watershed views. Access synthesized Country Profiles to gain deeper insights into climate risks and adaptation actions."

EM-DAT contains data on the occurrence and impacts of over 26,000 mass disasters worldwide from 1900 to the present day. The database is compiled from various sources, including UN agencies, non-governmental organizations, reinsurance companies, research institutes, and press agencies.

"Archive and provide transparency, traceability, and stability of data and scenarios used by the IPCC in its reports, available at the DDC or elsewhere."

" The National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) at the University of Colorado Boulder (CU Boulder), part of the CU Boulder Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES), conducts innovative research and provides open data to understand how the frozen parts of Earth affect the rest of the planet and impact society. Research studies and data are primarily focused on the snow, ice, glaciers, frozen ground and climate interactions that make up Earth’s cryosphere."

"The OECD Environmental Statistics database provide a unique collection of policy-relevant environmental statistics."

"Science and data are fundamental in providing answers to some of the most pressing sustainability issues of the twenty-first century. Strengthening the science-policy interface to inform society of the risks and opportunities of new developments is therefore at the heart of the work of UNEP across the organization. These real-time data tools and platforms feature data sets, reports, publications, fact sheets, interactives and more."

Discover the weather conditions necessary for blizzards, tornados, hurricanes, and more

They are the National Science Foundation's designated information clearinghouse for the societal dimensions of hazards and disasters.

The Disaster Research Center (DRC) is committed to advancing the state of the art in disaster research and its scientifically guided practice; educating the next generation of disaster science scholars and informed practitioners in the fields of disaster mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery; and creating, gathering, and disseminating disaster knowledge in a dynamic and responsive way.