Severe Weather Disproportionately Impacts Oklahoma's Native Communities, Study Shows

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Nov 29, 2023, 11:32 ET

NORMAN, Okla., Nov. 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- As the climate, demographics and land usage continue to change, tribal communities in Oklahoma are increasingly at risk of severe weather. A recent study published in the journal Weather, Climate, and Society led by Yang Hong with the University of Oklahoma examines these changes and the risks they pose.

"Indigenous communities are grappling with an imminent climate crisis compounded by systemic injustices. Recognizing their unique connections to their homelands as sovereign peoples is crucial in addressing these pressing issues," Hong said.

Photo of a tornadic supercell in western Oklahoma. Researchers believe this study can help project future climate extremes in Oklahoma and help evaluate the impacts of climate change and the increased risk to tribal populations.

He says making climate-related risk assessments and recommendations for Native lands has traditionally been difficult due to a lack of usable information. However, by coupling regional climate models and flash flood forecasting models, this study offers research for three climate hazards for Native Nations in Oklahoma: heavy rainfall, two-year floods and flash floods.

According to the research, heavy rainfall is projected to have a 501.1% increased risk for Native Americans by the end of the century – 68% higher than the general population in Oklahoma. Two-year floods are projected to have a 632.6% increased risk, and flash floods are projected to have a 296.4% increased risk – 64.3% and 64% higher than the general population in Oklahoma, respectively.

Researchers believe this study can help project future climate extremes in Oklahoma and help evaluate the impacts of climate change and the increase of tribal populations, which are expected to more than double by the end of the century. They also believe this research can help Native American leaders develop disaster risk reduction plans.

"Bringing attention to the risks and experiences Native Americans face with flooding and extreme weather can foster collaboration among Indigenous peoples, diverse communities, and scholars across the sciences and humanities," said Farina King, an associate professor of Native American Studies and a co-author of the study. "We must all work together to overcome the challenges to protect our most vulnerable communities and Indigenous peoples who sustain precious ecological knowledge."

Read more at https://link.ou.edu/3GmzknO

SOURCE University of Oklahoma