PORTLAND, Ore. — A new center in Oregon will tackle the issue of heat events head on.
"The Center for Collaborative Heat Monitoring is a new NOAA-funded center of excellence focused on participatory science aimed at understanding community level heat exposure during extreme heat events, heat waves," explained Max Cawley with the Center for Collaborative Heat Monitoring.
It will analyze how different communities are impacted by the heat that's partly due to climate change.
"Communities across the United States do not experience heat in the same way based on things like geography, environment, and social and economic contexts," said Cawley.
OMSI in Oregon is now the Pacific Northwest hub for the project. It will provide technical assistance and tools to help urban and rural groups better understand heat events.
"We understand that we'll be working with community groups, NOAA and other groups from the Pacific Northwest will choose, and we can help connect the groups," said Marcie Benne from OMSI.
Besides OMSI helping with data on heat, the project will raise awareness about climate change.
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"The broader public awareness of what is fundamentally our challenging and hazardous climate imperilment in most communities around the United States. Heat is the deadliest weather and climate event in the U.S," said Cawley.
It will also help people make a difference in their own community.
"Having the communities work on the science in our region, and this is in the Pacific Northwest — not just our region, but it's very much in line with how OMSI wants to be part of a learning community," said Marcie Benne.
The Center for Collaborative Heat Monitoring is based in Durham, North Carolina. In a few months, the center will announce how people can get involved in the new project. The project will last about three years.