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For 2018, Predicting Extreme Weather Disasters Not As Hard As You Think [1]

Floods, hurricanes, wildfires and other human-caused disasters made 2017 a hard year to beat. But environmental journalists would do well to be prepared for 2018. This week's TipSheet explains why predicting weather-related disasters may not be as hard you think, and provides resources to get reporters ready. 

SEJ Publication Types: 
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat: 
Climate Change [3]
Disasters [4]
Environmental Politics [5]
Government [6]
Laws & Regulations [7]
People & Population [8]
Planning & Growth [9]
Policy [10]
Science [11]
Water & Oceans [12]
Region: 
National (U.S.) [13]
California [14]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [15]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [16]
Central America & the Caribbean [17]
Visibility: 
Public [18]

Calif. Regulators OK Closure of Diablo Canyon, State's Last Nuke [19]

"In a landmark decision, the California Public Utilities Commission has decided PG&E can close Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant in 2025 — and San Luis Obispo County still won’t get its much-desired $85 million mitigation settlement to support the community through the shutdown."

Nuclear Power & Radiation [20]
Public [18]
California [14]
Source: San Luis Obispo Tribune [21], 01/12/2018

"Death Toll Rises To 17 In California Mudslides, 17 Missing" [22]

"The death toll from devastating mudslides in affluent communities along a stretch of Southern California coastline rose to 17 on Wednesday after two more bodies were recovered, the local sheriff said, and the number of people missing also climbed to 17."

Disasters [4]
Forests [23]
Water & Oceans [12]
Public [18]
California [14]
Source: Reuters [24], 01/11/2018

13 Dead After Flooding, Mudslides Force Thousands To Flee In California [25]

"At least 13 people are dead and more than 20 are injured in California from weather-related incidents, the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office said Tuesday. The southern part of the state has been drenched with severe rain just weeks after several fires tore through the area."

Climate Change [3]
Disasters [4]
Forests [23]
Water & Oceans [12]
Public [18]
California [14]
Source: ABC News [26], 01/10/2018

2018 Elections Could Be Game-Changer for Environment, Energy [27]

The 2018 elections may prove highly consequential for environment and energy policy, possibly slowing or even reversing the Trump-GOP deregulatory agenda. The latest Issue Backgrounder helps reporters frame the choices voters face, including environmental justice and offshore drilling.

SEJ Publication Types: 
Backgrounders [28]
Topics on the Beat: 
Chemicals [29]
Climate Change [3]
Economy & Business [30]
Energy & Fuel [31]
Environmental Politics [5]
Government [6]
People & Population [8]
Policy [10]
Region: 
National (U.S.) [13]
Alaska and Hawaii [32]
California [14]
Great Lakes (IL IN MI MN OH WI) [33]
Mid-Atlantic (DC DE MD PA VA WV) [34]
Mountain West (CO ID MT NV UT WY) [35]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [36]
Northwest (OR WA) [37]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [15]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [16]
Visibility: 
Public [18]

"Thousands in California Flee Homes Ahead Of Possible Mudslides" [38]

"Thousands of Southern Californians fled their homes on Monday as a powerful rain storm that could cause flash floods and trigger mudslides soaked steep slopes where a series of intense wildfires burned off vegetation last month."

Disasters [4]
Water & Oceans [12]
Public [18]
California [14]
Source: Reuters [39], 01/09/2018

"Wildfire-Scarred California Communities Must Now Brace For Floods" [40]

"In a vicious cycle California knows too well, parts of the state scarred by recent wildfires now face an elevated risk of flash floods and debris flow."

Disasters [4]
Water & Oceans [12]
Public [18]
California [14]
Source: HuffPost [41], 01/08/2018

"Final Verdict On Oroville Dam: 'Long-Term Systemic Failure'" [42]

"Citing a 'long-term systemic failure' at the California Department of Water Resources, independent forensic investigators released their final report Friday on the nearly-catastrophic emergency last February at Oroville Dam."

Disasters [4]
Journalism & Media [43]
Laws & Regulations [7]
Technology [44]
Water & Oceans [12]
Public [18]
California [14]
Source: Sacramento Bee [45], 01/08/2018

Energy Remains Big Issue for Public Lands Management [46]

Long-standing disputes over exploitation of public lands bubble over as the Trump administration advances campaign promises to ease restrictions on energy development. A special TipSheet, part of our 2018 Journalists' Guide to Energy & Environment, has resources for covering public lands-related issues as they play out in the coming year.

SEJ Publication Types: 
TipSheet [2]
Topics on the Beat: 
Climate Change [3]
Disasters [4]
Energy & Fuel [31]
Environmental Politics [5]
Forests [23]
Government [6]
Laws & Regulations [7]
Natural Resources [47]
Policy [10]
Water & Oceans [12]
Region: 
National (U.S.) [13]
Alaska and Hawaii [32]
California [14]
Northeast (CT MA ME NH NJ NY RI VT) [36]
SE (AL AR FL GA KY LA MS NC PR SC TN) [15]
Southwest (AZ NM OK TX) [16]
Visibility: 
Public [18]

Over 400 Structures Destroyed In 115,000-Acre Ventura County Wildfire [48]

"Gusty Santa Ana winds and bone-dry conditions continued to stoke major wildfires in Southern California on Thursday as Ventura County fire officials said the battle there could last well over a week."

Climate Change [3]
Disasters [4]
Forests [23]
People & Population [8]
Public [18]
California [14]
Source: LA Times [49], 12/08/2017

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Links
[1] https://www.sej.org/publications/tipsheet/2018-predicting-extreme-weather-disasters-not-hard-you-think [2] https://www.sej.org/category/sej-publication/tipsheet [3] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/climate-change [4] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/disaster [5] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/environmental-politics [6] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/government [7] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/laws [8] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/people-population [9] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/cities-towns [10] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/policy [11] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/science [12] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/water [13] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national [14] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/california [15] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/southeast [16] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/southwest [17] https://www.sej.org/category/region/international/central-america-caribbean [18] https://www.sej.org/taxonomy/term/81 [19] https://www.sej.org/headlines/calif-regulators-ok-closure-diablo-canyon-states-last-nuke [20] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/nuclear-power/radiation [21] http://www.sanluisobispo.com/news/local/article194189949.html [22] https://www.sej.org/headlines/death-toll-rises-17-california-mudslides-17-missing [23] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/forests [24] https://www.reuters.com/article/us-california-mudslides/death-toll-rises-to-17-in-california-mudslides-17-missing-idUSKBN1EZ0YS [25] https://www.sej.org/headlines/13-dead-after-flooding-mudslides-force-thousands-flee-california [26] http://abcnews.go.com/US/dead-flooding-mudslides-force-thousands-flee-california/story?id=52229415 [27] https://www.sej.org/publications/backgrounders/2018-elections-could-be-game-changer-environment-energy [28] https://www.sej.org/category/sej-publication-types/backgrounders [29] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/chemicals/toxics [30] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/business [31] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/energy [32] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/alaska-and-hawaii [33] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/great-lakes [34] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/mid-atlantic [35] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/mountain-west [36] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/northeast [37] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/northwest [38] https://www.sej.org/headlines/thousands-california-flee-homes-ahead-possible-mudslides [39] https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-weather/thousands-in-california-flee-homes-ahead-of-possible-mudslides-idUSKBN1EY0OO [40] https://www.sej.org/headlines/wildfire-scarred-california-communities-must-now-brace-floods [41] https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/california-wildfires-flood-threat_us_5a5275e8e4b003133ec8d697?section=us_green [42] https://www.sej.org/headlines/final-verdict-oroville-dam-long-term-systemic-failure [43] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/journalism/media [44] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/technology [45] http://www.sacbee.com/news/state/california/water-and-drought/article193151499.html [46] https://www.sej.org/publications/tipsheet/energy-remains-big-issue-public-lands-management [47] https://www.sej.org/category/topics-beat/land [48] https://www.sej.org/headlines/over-400-structures-destroyed-115000-acre-ventura-county-wildfire [49] http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-fires-20171207-story.html [50] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/california?page=107 [51] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/california?page=104 [52] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/california?page=105 [53] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/california?page=106 [54] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/california?page=109 [55] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/california?page=110 [56] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/california?page=111 [57] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/california?page=112 [58] https://www.sej.org/category/region/national/california?page=217