Climate Hits Here

Global climate change, made local

Climate change happens somewhere.

Explore how past climate changes have already reshaped American communities—and how future changes might alter the places people call home.

Explore the map

Each point connects global trends to one community through local evidence, human consequences, and a transparent account of how we know.

30
local stories
18
states
2017–20
original research

30 local climate histories

Find a story on the map

Past change Future possibility
North Slope Borough, AK: Rising temperatures, melting permafrost, and dwindling sea ice threaten human health and economic welfare in North Slope Borough.Sitka, AK: Warming coastal waters threaten local fisheries and health.Maricopa County, AZ: Warming, drying trends have set the stage for destructive wildfires.Mohave County, AZ: Hotter, drier weather has disrupted transportation and undermined agriculture.Los Angeles County, CA: Soaring temperatures, increasing drought, and more frequent wildfires have had unequal impacts on the people of Los Angeles County.Marin County, CA: Rising sea levels threaten coastal infrastructure and groundwater in Marin County.Santa Barbara County, CA: Droughts worsened by climate change have amplified erosion, provoked wildfires, and threatened the water supply of the county.Shasta County, CA: Wildfires have worsened mental and physical health in Shasta County, California.Tulare County, CA: Warming has worsened the severity of droughts that have cost farmers millions of dollars.Larimer County, CO: Rising temperatures and declining precipitation have encouraged devastating pine beetle infestations of local forests.Fairfield County, CT: Rising sea levels and increasingly severe rain storms have threatened local health and prosperity.New London County, CT: Rising sea levels and strengthening storms will threaten low-lying areas of the county.District of Columbia, DC: Sea level increases will transform the city in a warmer world.Marion County, IN: Rising temperatures may threaten human health but promote agriculture in Marion County.Barnstable County, MA: Hurricanes have long overwhelmed coastal infrastructure in Barnstable County, and rising sea levels are posing an increasing threat.Nantucket County, MA: Rising sea levels and coastal erosion are testing the limits of local adaptation in Nantucket County.Genesee County, MI: Temperatures have increased, but snow storms have grown more common, in Genesee County.Garfield County, MT: Warming temperatures and extreme droughts have set the stage for severe wildfires.Monmouth County, NJ: Rising sea levels, increasing temperatures, strengthening hurricanes, and changing precipitation patterns threaten coastal communities in Monmouth County.New York County, NY: Rising sea levels and intensifying downpours have undermined infrastructure but inspired productive responses in New York County.Suffolk County, NY: Rising sea levels threaten infrastructure and water quality.Multnomah County, OR: Soaring temperatures and rising sea levels may threaten human health and prosperity in Multnomah County.Allegheny County, PA: A trend towards more, and increasingly erratic, precipitation poses escalating problems for sewage treatment.Charleston, SC: Higher sea levels and strengthening storms have led to costly flooding.Buffalo County, SD: Rising temperatures and precipitation may worsen existing socioeconomic inequalities.Galveston County, TX: Rising sea levels and warmer waters have made Galveston County more vulnerable to hurricane storm surges.Chelan County, WA: Rising temperatures and decreasing precipitation are raising the likelihood of wildfires in Chelan County.King County, WA: Rising sea levels and more frequent floods have altered lives and overwhelmed infrastructure in King County.Thurston County, WA: Rising sea levels threaten vulnerable populations in Thurston County.Yakima County, WA: Rising temperatures will lead to water scarcity in Yakima County.
30 places shownSelect a point to open its story

The method

From a global trend to a lived experience

  1. 01Trace the change

    Connect global climate trends to a local environment.

  2. 02Show the evidence

    Explain the data, tools, and reasoning behind the claim.

  3. 03Follow the consequences

    Ask what changed—or might change—for local people.