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DAILYWILDCAT.COM Wednesday, June 7, 2017 – Tuesday, June 13, 2017 VOLUME 110 ISSUE 92
NEWS | PAGES 2-3
COURTESY IGNACIO GARCIA
A MURAL BY IGNACIO GARCIA titled “Charra and the Mariachi,” located inside Guadalajara Grill on Prince Road. Garcia often dedicates long hours for weeks at a time perfecting his artwork and focusing on minor details, which make a big difference in the overall quality of his work and sets him apart from other artists.
NEW UA PRESIDENT ROBERT ROBBINS SPEAKS WITH ARIZONA STUDENT MEDIA DURING FIRST DAY ROUNDS
SPORTS | PAGE 16 ARIZONA BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL UNABLE TO PUNCH TICKETS TO OMAHA
Researchers measure weather impacts Arizona’s dozens of annual extreme weather events leave a footprint worth billions BY MARISSA HEFFERNAN @_mheffernan
According to a new report, Pima County experiences an average of 47 extreme weather events annually, from dust storms and hail to thunderstorms and flash floods. Published by two UA School of Government and Public Policy researchers, assistant professor Laura Bakkensen and graduate student Riana Johnson, the report is entitled “The Economic Impacts of Extreme Weather: Tucson and Southern Arizona’s Current Risks and Future Opportunities.” The report compares Tucson to other metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) in the West, according to Bakkensen, using data from the National Weather Service. She clarified that the figures come from all the counties in the MSA, which could lead to some differences in results if the data is processed differently. Bakkensen said Tucson’s higher average compared to other MSAs likely comes from the highly localized nature of weather events, especially during the monsoon. “Maybe Denver has a winter storm over
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the entire city that’s just one event, where Tucson might have multiple events during a couple days in the monsoon because they’re smaller storms,” Bakkensen said. Johnson said that climate-related factors are also behind Tucson’s higher average. “There’s some indication in scientific literature about how we are in a certain climate that allows for more extreme events to occur,” Johnson said. Overall, the report found that since 2010 Arizona has suffered more than $3 billion in damages from extreme weather. This average of $500 million per year equals more than 5 percent of the state government’s annual operating budget, according to the report. Bakkensen said that figure also came from National Weather Service data. She and Johnson adjusted the amounts for inflation to ensure accuracy. However, she said there is no universal accounting standard for damages. “They’re very interesting numbers, but we need to be careful because it’s not an exact, to-the-cent dollar figure,” Bakkensen said. “But it gives us a ballpark about relative magnitudes.”
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One of the best ways to reduce damages, according to Bakkensen, is simply having accurate information readily available to the public. “One of the most important things is staying up-to-date on really good, quality information, because in the minutes and hours before extreme weather, there’s a lot we can do to actually help protect our lives and prevent injuries, and we can also help protect our property,” Bakkensen said. Johnson pointed to social media as an up-and-coming way to get information out fast. “Utilizing technology as a means of getting the proper information is going to be really important in the future,” Johnson said. “There’s been some new research on the effects of social media on weather messages and informing people, and I think that’s really useful, utilizing cell phones and text alerts.” Pima County has started to send out text alerts about weather in addition to the usual Amber alerts, according to Johnson, who also said the Arizona Department of Transportation has social
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