PITTSBURGH — As adverse weather events like heavy rainfall, subsequent flooding and heat waves grow more severe and increase in frequency, checking the weather forecast means much more than knowing if you need an umbrella: Extreme weather is inextricably linked to our safety and well-being.
Though Western Pennsylvania is not usually vulnerable to some climate change-associated hazards like hurricanes and wildfires, the director of the National Weather Service, Ken Graham, identified heavy rainfall and heat waves as the most significant issues for the region. Of course, there are other weather-related factors that can have a health impact, such as heat inversions that trap air pollution near the ground.
Graham, who was in Pittsburgh the week of Aug. 22 for the annual conference of the National Weather Service, previously served as the director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association's hurricane center, leading the charge as the organization ran out of hurricane names in 2020 and 2021. He's been with the weather service for 28 years and became its director in June.
